No burn out....enough is enough!

Five&Two Will Do · Jul 26, 2011

Lately, there have been various discussions here regarding burn out and understaffing. While everyone has different circumstances and work policies, I think it's time more nurses started to assert themselves. I am a new nurse of 8 months, and my fatigue and resentment for feeling overworked has been mounting, until the last couple of weeks. I've finally decided...enough is enough, and I'm taking my life back.
I am a second career nurse, and the burn out phenomenon is nothing new. Been there, done that before. So this time, it doesn't take years to recognize the signs and put an end to it. I'm tired all the time and I feel like all I'm doing is working and sleeping. Part of the problem is that I'm working at a small facility, and we are already operating on a skeleton staff. When we're short, we're SHORT. So there is more pressure to work.
I don't mind picking up a few extra shifts here and there. However, when we are receiving regular calls to work ABOVE the extras...well, I've been saying no, and I'm very vocal about this, "No. I've worked overtime for months. I'm not doing it anymore. I need my rest."
At this point, I don't care how short we are. It isn't my concern. I also realized that if I continue to agree to work when I don't want to, it is as much my fault as it is management. Management is not going to make an honest effort to solve the nursing shortage if we keep saying yes. Similarly, they are not going to be there to care for us exhausted nurses. Just say no. I should also mention that I am unionized, so we cannot be forced into mandatory overtime either. But they try guilt trips instead. I'm just not feeding into that anymore. Since I have decided this, I am happier at work again.
I see death on a regular basis. One thing is for sure...when someone is dying, they aren't wishing they worked more. It's time for more nurses to say no. We have enough stress as is with the nature of the work. Why add more?

I agree with you completely. I am also a second career nurse. They call me often when I have just gotten up after working 4 shifts in a row and all and ask me to work yet another. I cannot stand working night shift and I am always tired. They say how they really really need help. I think it is ridiculous that it makes more sense to management to pay overtime rather than go ahead and hire more nurses. That fact is only magnified by all of the nurses on this forum that say they cannot find jobs. Come on management! It is time to get you head out of your rear and hire toi end these shortages. ***!

GLB_68 · Jul 26, 2011

There is no nursing shortage. The hospitals purposely work us short so that they can pocket the profits. It's no skin off their nose if you are exhausted, make a mistake then lose your license. They've always had a ready pool of nurses (US based and imports) to fill in when we burn out due to impossible demands made on us. Pt ratios are TOO high because that's how the hospitals make money. Pt ratios stay high b/c nursing school keep cranking out gullible new grads.

GLB_68 · Jul 26, 2011

I first heard it here but it can't be repeated enough. There never was a nursing shortage. There was and is only a shortage of nurses willing and physically/mentally able to put us with the impossible demands made on us.

OhioCCRN, MSN, NP · Jul 26, 2011

1. I think that if the Hospitals increased staffing ratio's, there would be more jobs for nurses.

2. No one lives forever, thus there must always be a pool for new nurses. if suddenly all nursing schools were mandated to close, what would the projection be in a couple of years when current nurses are either:

- Dead

-Injured

-Burned out

I don't mean to say that this will happen to all nurses at the same time, that would be insane...

Just clarifying that we definitely need new grads w/ new knowlege and new ways of doing things to keep the Nursing profession strong and current.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2011

Exactly. We have too many casuals, too. If they were smart, many of those casual positions should be converted into regular lines. Casuals are often unavailable because they have other jobs...because they need to support themselves. Have a back up plan for god sakes.

Last week I said, "you are going to find yourself even more short when I quit. I am not coming in."

That's where I'm at now. I care, but not enough to sacrifice my whole life. I can't be the saviour. So I'm saying no. This is what I can give...that is it. And I'm saying it NOW, at 8 months in, not 8 years or 20.

Fixit · Jul 26, 2011

Kudos. I'm glad you are thinking of yourself and saying no to the guilt trips/extra shifts. Nursing is very hard work and you need your days off.

Agree that the hospitals short staff to make more money. There are plenty of nurses they could hire.

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Jul 26, 2011

They used to call me practically every day even when I was on vacation, till I got angry and told them I was sick of it. Then they said we'll put you on the no call list. I'ts been peaceful since then, no more calls. Except occasional pressure from the supervisor to pick up with the guilt trip, but I never give in. I want more time off, not less! Sure I could use the extra money, but my mental health is too important to put myself thru that needless stress. I'm so tired of dealing with all the psyche cases out there, you'd think I worked psyche, its too much. Manipulative, unpleasant, angry bipolar, drug addicted or demented patients seem to make up the majority of hospital patients these days. I would go part-time if I could afford it!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2011

I am part time, yet I've been working more than the full time person. The first few months I was ok with that. Now they see I'm reliable so it's almost expected. This is why I had to draw the line. They were calling on top of the shifts I have picked up. Our schedule is complete for the next month. After that, I am going to stay with the shifts in my rotation and that's it.

sistasoul · Jul 26, 2011

They used to call me practically every day even when I was on vacation, till I got angry and told them I was sick of it. Then they said we'll put you on the no call list. I'ts been peaceful since then, no more calls. Except occasional pressure from the supervisor to pick up with the guilt trip, but I never give in. I want more time off, not less! Sure I could use the extra money, but my mental health is too important to put myself thru that needless stress. I'm so tired of dealing with all the psyche cases out there, you'd think I worked psyche, its too much. Manipulative, unpleasant, angry bipolar, drug addicted or demented patients seem to make up the majority of hospital patients these days. I would go part-time if I could afford it!

Good for you. My place used to call me all the time and ask me to change shifts at the last minute. I used to do it all of the time but I can not handle it any more. I agree with most of the hospital cases being psych cases. Granted they are in thr hospital for medical problems but the behaviors are unreal. My last shift I had 2 detoxers, One with COPD that had psychotic episodes, an elderly gentleman with a broken hip with dementia who would yell at the top of his lungs, and a lady in her 70s who had a knee replacement that had a reaction to the anesthesia but also had underlying dementia. 2 of these patients were 15 minute checks and the other was trying to get up and fall on me. 3 of these patients had previously been 1 to 1 supervision but had to be placed on 15 minute checks so rehab would accept them. So crazy, stressful and unsafe. Every shift I work I can guarantee I will have at least 2 people who either have dementia or detoxing. It is just too much.

coolpeach · Jul 26, 2011

Its not just extra shifts, but nurse pt ratios and the acuity of the patients. When a 12 hour shift which is really 13 with report routinely turns into 15 hour shifts its too much. Most of us live at least 45 min - hour away so that's a 17 hour day. That only leaves 7 hours to sleep, eat, and shower. Never mind that I am a single parent and my poor kids spend days without seeing their mom. On my days off I am just catching up, but never really living.

I am a new nurse and have seen the nurses try to stand up for themselves. They are told "Sorry, we have no choice, but to give you that patient". And a couple of weeks ago "A nurse was told that he had better get used to it because it or he would get another patient."

I guess with the economy and job market we are expendable at best.

iwanna · Jul 26, 2011

The staffing ratios need to be changed all over. I know the nursing homes staff ridiculous. And, even the hospitals understaff. I have been on both sides of the bed. I always advise people to have a friend or relative with the patient most of the time they are in hospital. Usually staff have too many calls to answer. Sometimes, it is just a simple thing, that anyone can help with. i.e. one time, I accidentally got my gown and bed all wet. I just needed somebody to get me a dry gown and dry sheet. After about a thirty minute wait, I was greeted with an angry nurse. He asked if I insisted on having a nurse. I replied, "absolutely not". For some reason, I think he did not believe me. I only hit the call button once, and I never asked for a nurse. I did ask for a dry gown and sheet.

I was once way overworked. I worked three doubles a week. They were supposed to be three twelves. Well, it turned out, that we never did get the coverage for the extra four hours. I was going on few hours sleep and had to get up and do it, again. Also, have autoimmune illness that really exacerbated. I believe that my lack of rest started tings to go haywire. I became sick and had to go on short term disability. Returned to work after three months, and I only lasted six months. I went back only part-time, working three 8 hr. shifts. And, even then they were asking me to work extra shifts. I did tell them no to the extra shifts, but, at the time, I felt tremendous guilt for not being the nurse they wanted. I ended up resigning because I felt my body needed a rest. Unfortunately, it has now been eight years, since I worked a long term job. I was really very sick for a few years, then just exhausted. Now, I am over fifty and doubt that I will find a job in nursing, again. With, the exception of the seasonal flu clinics. I am an LPN with limited choices. I can't work bedside. I never had med-surg experience. I worked in behavioral health. I do plan on going to vocational rehab. Being over 50, and no med-surg background, not worked a regular job in eight years, I know that I am not too marketable as a nurse. Perhaps, some of this could have been prevented by taking better care of myself.

Please, take care of yourselves. You can not take care of anyone else, unless you take care of yourself first. It may be too late for me, but I hope others can heed my advice. A sad fact is that many nurses who refuse to work OT got poor evaluations. I tried to go back to my former place of employment as per diem. They told me they had too many prn, already. Yet, I ran into a former colleague, and she was furious when I told her that. She referred a friend there for a job, and they told her they had no openings, too. Yet, they call the same people all the time. Even calling up someone on workmen's comp. and asking them to return to work!

I think staffing is only going to get worse at places, after all the healthcare changes.

Sorry, I got carried away, here.