I’m new to this forum and just needing other nurses to talk to who may understand.
I’m 30 years old and a single Mom. ( well I take care of my nephew had him since he was one he’s now 13) I have no kids of my own.
I'm an LVN working on prereqs to obtain my RN. I was in the RN program but had to stop due to no help with my son.
I've only been a nurse for two years and can’t find anything I like. Which is sort of depressing.
I've worked a year at a drug center and a LTC at the same time. Then 5 months at a drs office. Now I’m doing homecare and hate it. I’ve suffered from depression since a teenager due to dysfunctional family dynamics.
I usually get to the point where I’m frustrated with jobs and quit. I can’t handle stress, I take work home with me and things people say get to me. Other nurses not wanting to help and it just becomes overwhelming. I have terrible anxiety and suffer with depression daily. Along with that, I don’t have a passion for nursing. I hate bedside nursing and hate the responsibility. Sometimes I cry because I feel stuck and I feel as if I’m taking care of everyone except me. I’ve seen psychiatrist and therapists and I hid it so much that they tell me I’m fine. But I know how I feel.
Is it any nurses here that have anxiety or depression? How do you deal?
I feel like I need a month off to take care of myself.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
In nursing, there are a lot of jobs, but there are not a lot of *good* jobs. For this reason, nurses are often job hoppers. It's not a big deal. Folks will hardly notice. You'll stop hopping when you find something good. You haven't found that yet so keep hopping.
It really isn't unusual to have the kind of job that makes you cry when you are a nurse. It's not sustainable, it means you need to hop, but it's not unusual.
Can you survive nursing with anxiety and depression? Of course you can, and you probably will have to at some point-- our jobs tend to be stressful and often overwhelming.
With that out of the way...
Let's focus on what you hate, what you don't mind, what you like and what you love about your jobs. This will help you find out where to hop next. I'm making an open invitation to anyone to answer these questions.
I'll go first.
1. I hate toxic, throw you under the bus coworkers. I hate mean bosses. I hate unreasonable expectations. I hate cheating, lying and being asked to compromise my ethics. I hate corporate phoniness.
2. I don't mind some disorganization. I don't mind absent minded coworkers and even lazy ones are basically okay if they are nice to me. I don't mind when patients lose their ***-- figuratively, literally, whatever. I don't mind working 5 days a week if I have every weekend off. I don't mind being paid less than the average nurse.
3. I like psychiatry, public health and assessment. I like spending time with my patients. I like education; both learning and teaching. I like conventions, symposiums. I like fun and kind coworkers. I like a boss who supports me. I like being recognized for the work I do.
4. I love seeing patients improve. I love working on a team. I love having coworkers who try hard and care about our patients. I love saving lives. I love being there when the light bulb goes on. I love problem solving.
FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN
2,325 Posts
In nursing, there are a lot of jobs, but there are not a lot of *good* jobs. For this reason, nurses are often job hoppers. It's not a big deal. Folks will hardly notice. You'll stop hopping when you find something good. You haven't found that yet so keep hopping.
It really isn't unusual to have the kind of job that makes you cry when you are a nurse. It's not sustainable, it means you need to hop, but it's not unusual.
Can you survive nursing with anxiety and depression? Of course you can, and you probably will have to at some point-- our jobs tend to be stressful and often overwhelming.
With that out of the way...
Let's focus on what you hate, what you don't mind, what you like and what you love about your jobs. This will help you find out where to hop next. I'm making an open invitation to anyone to answer these questions.
I'll go first.
1. I hate toxic, throw you under the bus coworkers. I hate mean bosses. I hate unreasonable expectations. I hate cheating, lying and being asked to compromise my ethics. I hate corporate phoniness.
2. I don't mind some disorganization. I don't mind absent minded coworkers and even lazy ones are basically okay if they are nice to me. I don't mind when patients lose their ***-- figuratively, literally, whatever. I don't mind working 5 days a week if I have every weekend off. I don't mind being paid less than the average nurse.
3. I like psychiatry, public health and assessment. I like spending time with my patients. I like education; both learning and teaching. I like conventions, symposiums. I like fun and kind coworkers. I like a boss who supports me. I like being recognized for the work I do.
4. I love seeing patients improve. I love working on a team. I love having coworkers who try hard and care about our patients. I love saving lives. I love being there when the light bulb goes on. I love problem solving.
Your turn.