Not picking up shifts and feeling guilty

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I am an PRN ICU RN, and I feel like I am not part of the team. I have 2 young ones at home which is why I changed to an PRN status, but I feel guilty every time I have to say no to help my floor out especially with Covid and knowing my fellow nurses r picking up shifts left and right and our at times very short staffed. Some of those nurse also have kids but they still manage to pick up. I am thinking of quiting all together because of the anxiety and guilt. My husband does not understand.

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What ever shifts you do decide to pick up are immensely more help to the team than quitting and not picking up any at all. don't feel guilty, you are doing what you can. We are in this for the long haul, you have to be careful of burning out. So many people have left my unit for like, PACU, after we got over our surge. 

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Specializes in ICU, CCU.

I also switched to PRN and dropped my hours significantly. I understand feeling guilty, I used to feel really guilty for not picking up as well. It helps me to remember that I have no obligation to work more than my scheduled days, and I don't owe anyone an explanation for why I can't (or just don't want to) come in. It's also not your responsibility to make up for poor staffing, and you definitely shouldn't feel bad about that! Any extra help you want offer is more than enough.

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.
On 9/18/2020 at 10:52 PM, 3692nurse said:

I am an PRN ICU RN, and I feel like I am not part of the team. I have 2 young ones at home which is why I changed to an PRN status, but I feel guilty every time I have to say no to help my floor out especially with Covid and knowing my fellow nurses r picking up shifts left and right and our at times very short staffed. Some of those nurse also have kids but they still manage to pick up. I am thinking of quiting all together because of the anxiety and guilt. My husband does not understand.

Don’t feel guilty. I picked up a ton of extra hours for a long time in the ER and in the end, the only one it hurt was me. It burned me out very fast.....you can give everything to your job and I hate to say it, but in the long run very few people remember or appreciate it. Take care of yourself and your family first and your job comes after that....always.

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Specializes in Student Nurse of Anesthesiology.

In my experience, the more shifts you pick up, the more they'll expect from you, and then get mad after you tell them no. It's a no win situation. Just do what you can do, and leave it at that. Like one poster said, it's better to work some shifts than to just quit. 

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, MICU.

I'm not PRN currently, and I still feel bad when I don't pick up extra shifts.  We are naturally givers.... we give our job our everything for our patients... Just know that the days you do pick up mean the world to some and you are not going to please everyone. You need you time as well. I used to pick up at least 1-2 extra every week and I ended up getting burnt out really bad.  Don't feel bad! Enjoy those kiddos!

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