Nurses and Burn out

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2011

Are there any current statistics that say what percent of NEW nurses get burned out in a certain length of time?
Do new nurses leave the profession at surprising rates? (given how demanding nursing school is)

I remember having discussion about it in our mandated "Career Counseling" meeting we had to go to before graduation.

I seem to remember tham saying a certain percent of nurses quit the field during the 1st year, and w/e percentage that was.........was high when compared to other professions, but not that high.

But, the percentage of nurses who quit the field before reaching 5yrs experience was very high when compared to other professions.

Then the meeting went into..........you know........."Don't take a job you don't like just cause it pays $1 more" and stuff like that.

Thats how I remember it anyway.

PraiseMariahCarey · Jul 23, 2011

Shoot i remember reading a nursing journal about new grad burnout in my ethics class. Thought it was a bunch of rubbish until i started working at the hospital six months later.

PediNurse3 · Jul 23, 2011

I don't know any statistics but I thought that there was NO WAY I would ever get burned out. I overcame a lot of adversity (single parent to two kids, working full time, one income, etc) to get thru nursing school and got a great job two months prior to graduating. I was just going to love going to work every day and be the best and happiest ER nurse ever. :anpom:

To say that I'm burned out now is an understatement.

STL2008, RN · Jul 23, 2011

I'm already burned out at 3 months.

agldragonRN · Jul 23, 2011

i'm a new grad rn and i look at indeed and craigslist almost daily looking for something else. i also watch shark tanks (abc ch7) every friday and wished that i could invent something and make millions so i can quit nursing. sigh..

imintrouble, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2011

i'm a new grad rn and i look at indeed and craigslist almost daily looking for something else. i also watch shark tanks (abc ch7) every friday and wished that i could invent something and make millions so i can quit nursing. sigh..

i buy lottery tickets.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2011

I am close to burn out at 8 months. I work at a small facility that is severely understaffed. To avoid burnout, I have recently been outlining what I am willing to do and refusing shifts I don't want. The staffing is not my problem. I think people just need to start saying no. I'm also unionized so that helps. Ultimately, you have to think of your own health too.

cubbieblue · Jul 23, 2011

I am on 10 months as a new nurse and want to quit every day. My floor and shift is always understaffed and they call and leave a message everyday that we are short nurses on my shift. It is never the other shifts,always mine. I barely want to work my regular shifts so I sure don't want to pick up extras. I have a stomachache starting the minute I get up on the days I work . I am a nervous wreck most of my shift so I can see why I feel burnt out already. I can't relax ever. There are other new nurses I work with who take their breaks and get out on time and seem to be handling everything fine. I guess its just me. I think it is the nervous nellies like me that get burnt out so quick because we are in such a heightened state of anxiety all the time. I wish I could just relax and trust that I am doing a good job.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2011

Start refusing or don't answer the phone on your days off. As long as you keep accepting, they'll keep taking. I know my facility will probably ask me to pick up more shifts above what I already have. I have no problem saying no. Think of it this way...it's either you or them.

rn/writer, RN · Jul 23, 2011

This is really sad and scary.

When will employers realize that, while it seems cost effective to staff short, in the long run, it's much more expensive to have to keep training new people when the old ones quit. Treating nurses as disposable is soooo not cool!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2011

Right. The other day I said to my colleague who was calling to ask me to pick up, "No. You're going to find yourself even more short staffed when I quit. I already agreed to a few extra shifts, and I'm still asked above those. So I can either work what I have, or keep pushing it and I'm gone. I need to rest too."

That was the end of that...for now. And I felt great :)