Nurse Who's Burnt Out

[NurseRaina]

I've been a med surg nurse for almost two years now. My first job wasn't as stressful as this one, but I cannot even visualize myself staying at the bedside any longer. I have to force myself to go into work. It's so depressing, and I believe it's affecting my family life. Basically I'm experiencing nursing burnout.

Why? Well, when I first started nursing, I was perfectly content with my pay. Now I realize that the pay doesn't even come close to what we deserve considering everything we have to deal with on a daily basis, including nurse bullies, annoying supervisors, irate and/or thankless patients, doctors and surgeons treating us like we're subhuman, high patient ratios, and an insane amount of charting, all while coordinating every aspect of the patient's care.

Honestly, my biggest complaint is the charting. How can I spend time educating, making connections with patients, and performing the skills I worked so hard in nursing school to learn with all the charting that the supervisors/administrators require? It's not that I dislike computers; my generation grew up with them, and I've used them almost my whole life. The problem is time. I spend about three hours a shift charting alone, and that's not including the time I spend pouring over the charts checking to make sure everything is correct and that all the doctor's orders are being followed correctly, checking for new orders, or checking lab results, radiology reports, et cetera. Speaking from a technology driven generation, I think computers are the downfall of nursing.

Okay. ***** fest over. I guess I need help. I of course want to leave my current job, but I need another job lined up, as I am the breadwinner of my family. However, every time I search for nursing jobs online, I feel sick to my stomach at the idea of being stuck in the same situation in a different place. I almost feel like I should leave nursing entirely. I went into nursing because I love people and I love taking care of them. But if other jobs are similar to this one, then I don't want anything to do with nursing.

I'm thinking I should take a step back from the bedside, but I really don't know where to begin with that. Any advice? Also, just f.y.i., I live in Georgia.

-NurseRaina

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm thinking I should take a step back from the bedside, but I really don't know where to begin with that. Any advice?

I can understand and appreciate your burnout. Perhaps apply to insurance companies such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna or Humana? Due to ObamaCare expansions, the major insurance companies have been hiring nurses like crazy to fill various types of positions.

Just a thought...good luck to you!

[NurseRaina]

Thank you so much for the tip! I'll look into that.

[sweetlilwolf]

Yeah lots of positions away from bedside. Most ambulatory positions, clinic, case management, nursing informatics, insurance companies, pharmaceutical sales.... List goes on.... Just start looking around. If you aren't in LinkedIn join I get job offers daily...