are nurses more depressed than the general public?

[hnurseh]

I've been a nurse a few years now and am convinced becoming a nurse was the biggest career mistake I ever could have made. It's a second career for me so at this stage I am resigned to working as a nurse in some capacity until I retire. But, I'm not happy (I've worked several places) and it seems as though many of my co-workers aren't either.

I recently gave in and started taking an anti-depressant (and may also need something for anxiety) and was wondering how common this is among nurses. I've been reading allnurses since nursing school so I realize many posters come here to vent, but as a group, do you think nurses are more depressed than most people? Are you depressed? Do you take meds for it? If so, do you think the reason is directly related to being a nurse?

Just looking for a little feedback to see if most are able to find satisfaction in the work or am I not that unusual.

Thanks,

[tencat]

I would have to say yes, the nurses I know are more depressed than the general public that I know. And I really don't blame us....it is a demanding, at times pretty horrific job as we see things most people don't see in their everyday lives.

It is important to take time for ourselves and to decompress. I'd bet that other workers such as police, firefighters, EMTs are equally as prone to depression as nurses are. We all see things that at times are pretty awful, and we see it on a dialy basis. That's enough to make anyone depressed.

[jbp0529]

I love my job and am not depressed...maybe a little more jaded and cynical, but not depressed. Seeing the things we do on a daily basis can be rough. We see ppl at their best, and their worst, and everything in between. It can be an emotional experience. Its especially hard, for example, to see patients doing poorly, with no medical options left, yet the family wants to continue to flog them and prolong things soley bc of their own issues/insecurities. However, for me, the times when I see a patient make a complete turn-around, thrive, and be appreciative of the care they receive...makes up for all the bad experiences.

[againmlg]

cn2007rn, I related to much of what you posted. I'm glad them Paxil is helping.

What depresses me is what others said, In nursing you can't have a slightly off day. You are always expected to be on. You must always CYA. Can't trust many co-workers. Can't trust management. Extreme amt of responsibility with sadly little authority.

The nurse is the easiest one to blame when anything goes wrong. For example if the MD or pharmacy screw up, and we don't catch the error. It legally becomes our error.

I'm often fearful for my license. I don't like to socialize because work takes all the energy I have. One family member even told me that nursing has made me "mean". I used to be known for my sweet nature. I have no good answers. But I've also started on an SSRI and have been trying to find other work options.

To answer the question I would say "no", nurses are not more depressed then the general public. But for me I would say "yes", I have been a nurse for a year, 6 months in telemetry and 6 months in psych. I do not care for nursing, I loved nursing school and loved being a nursing assistant but as for being an RN, you can take those letters and shove them somewhere the sun don't shine!

I hate being a nurse and am therefore searching for a position in my old field of medical billing/finance. The past year in nursing has completely changed me, I have become filled with anxiety and depression!! I have suffered multiple panic attacks at work becoming overwhelmed by patients, charge nurses, admissions, families. I feel RN's have too much responsibility, you are accountable for everything, not fair, you couldn't pay me all the money in the world to enjoy this job.

I have come home too many days crying, sad, overwhelmed. My poor husband has to put up with the fact that I come home burnt out and tired everyday, I hate the person I have become!! I am impatient and unfriendly when I am not working, I have no ambitious to do anything, I have gained weight!

But I have started on Paxil and feel better, no longer working as an RN. I am taking some time off and I am on a job search for some difference, I no longer want to pursue patient care. It is sad but I have accepted it and willing to move on. Not every job is cut out for everyone. I am much happier, now that I have accepted this fact.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I do find that I am not as social as before-meaning I was always a loner, but did go out more often alone than now. People basically overwhelm me because from both, the patients (which is much more understandable) and collagues (they are the ones that REALLY drain me) take a great deal of my energy. I am not frightened of them, but can do without them. I find that I have to be 'on' at ALL times...always CYA, cannot trust too many people, because you really get to see many for who they really are. Stay home at more to read, hang out in this forum, try and do girlie things for myself.

I do suffer from anxiety attacks on occasion, and sort of think that I am in that stage again, so, yes, I will be going to get the Zoloft to get that edge off. I would not say that I am depressed, because I still keep up appearences, want to live and have many interests. But, I am on edge more than I would like to be.

It's interesting to read your post, Pagandeva. I think you put your finger on an important point, that nursing is a very stimulating environment. I'm like you, after working I need a lot of quiet time to recharge my social batteries. At work I put a lot of energy into my interactions with both co-workers and patients and that drains me and makes me VERY socially unneedy.

I think nursing puts many of us into sensory overload, so if we don't get time to recharge we can get too drained to function. Add to that the demands of family obligations, and our well can run dry if we are the type who needs time away from people to stay healthy.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Sensory overload-absolutely correct!! I was invited to go with an old friend to our old high school football game, and suddenly, in midstream, I changed my mind. I want to be home...period! Didn't even answer my cell phone when he called because I just didn't feel like explaining. Hey, I only see them every now and then, so, it is no skin off of my back not to answer.

There are so many senseless things going on throughout nursing arena. I certainly agree with the poster that said that student nurses should be warned. I have wanted to shout so many times that you are fighting hard to kill yourself. It is not that nursing cannot be rewarding-that is not true. But it is hard to find that good mix...most don't find it at the initial job. Most of them, I find, after a good 4-5 months are either sorry they did it, or very stressed out.

Just this morning, I called my friend who told me she made a medication error yesterday. It wasn't a big deal per se, gave a vaccine that wasn't ordered, but, now, her weekend is ruined, because she administered dT and a PPD, but was supposed to get Hep B, but because the work area is a mess (nurses in her area do not have private rooms to administer medications, they have to use swing rooms when the doctors aren't in there and this was a walk in patient), another sheet of paper was placed over the order for yet another patient when she turned her back for one moment, and she read someone else's. The patient was supposed to get the first of the Hep B series, and get a PPD, and has to return for the PPD results on Monday. There is no record of dT, and the doctor stated she will not cover the order. Now, she is afraid. The weekend that was supposed to consist of her going to the movies and destressing is now making her afraid of her license. Happens too often.

[oramar]

It is possible, but I couldn't really say. Depression is pretty wide spread thoughout the entire population. I can say however, that we have good reason to be depressed.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

It's interesting that you guys mention that, wanting to spend a lot more time alone. I've been experiencing the same thing. For me, I haven't thought of it as a sensory overload sort of thing, but more that patients and families are so needy and demanding that when I have time off, I don't want to spend it attending to the needs of others. I feel that my time off should be spent restoring myself.

This seems awfully selfish to some people, who are not in health care and cannot relate to my feelings. I recently went on a group camping trip with some friends, something we do every year, and most of them were good about giving me space to just relax, but one in particular, who happens to be one of those "high maintenance friends", just couldn't wrap her mind around my need for some down time. She seems to have this opinion that because I am a nurse, I should be nurturing others at all times.

I've also found myself feeling antisocial more frequently, avoiding crowds, and just preferring to spend time with my close family.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It's interesting that you guys mention that, wanting to spend a lot more time alone. I've been experiencing the same thing. For me, I haven't thought of it as a sensory overload sort of thing, but more that patients and families are so needy and demanding that when I have time off, I don't want to spend it attending to the needs of others. I feel that my time off should be spent restoring myself.

This seems awfully selfish to some people, who are not in health care and cannot relate to my feelings. I recently went on a group camping trip with some friends, something we do every year, and most of them were good about giving me space to just relax, but one in particular, who happens to be one of those "high maintenance friends", just couldn't wrap her mind around my need for some down time. She seems to have this opinion that because I am a nurse, I should be nurturing others at all times.

I've also found myself feeling antisocial more frequently, avoiding crowds, and just preferring to spend time with my close family.

You are singing my song!! I deal with some NEEDY people!! Most of them are whiny staff members from nurses, physicians, techs, managers...all trying to dump their issues on each other to play the blame game. It is tiring!!

I had a home care case with a pediatric trach patient, once. The family was very, very nice, the child was adorable, but a terror at the same time. It took me a minute to get the child to understand boundaries, and we eventually really got along. I used to talk about this child to my husband often, but what began to happen is that the mother, in my eye, had the wrong interpetation of why the nurses were there. She had round the clock nursing care since the child was born (4 years ago), and she looked at us more like free babysitters, since she had full health coverage, and slowly, I started hating the case. My husband could not understand why I suddenly decided to drop the case...feeling that I abandoned the child. It was not that. The mother felt that I should be escorting the child to birthday parties, bowling tournaments, movies, shopping sprees, etc... I went to the movies once, to one birthday party, and then, I started thinking...this is not safe for my license! The mother didn't bring portable oxygen one time and the girl de-stated on me (thank goodness we were not far from the house), and I felt that we should be investigating the nearest hospitals for the places they wanted to go, and I felt more like a nanny. This was not my job to do this, I was trying to allow this child to have a quality of life, because she is alert, very active and needed friends. It was not worth me worrying each time I went to a second job to wonder if I would have my license by the end of the day. My husband thought I was a cold person, but, that was not true. We care, we advocate, we do what we can, treat people the way we wish to be treated, but this is a job.

I have to sort of know way in advance about socializing. Last minute get togethers are a thing of the past to me. I don't live far from work and don't have a car, but I take a taxi home most times, because I cannot take dealing with people in the public in the same way when I am off duty. Long lines, crowds, inquiring minds, drama...my mind is on sensory overload, and jlrn was correct in making that statement. Sometimes, you just need quiet. I am not depressed for sure, but I benefit from some alone time.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Nurses are like plumbers who really don't want to go home and fix their own leaky faucet.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Nurses are like plumbers who really don't want to go home and fix their own leaky faucet.

Might be because we have no time to go home...:chuckle

[inthesky]

I wouldn't be surprised if nurses have a higher rate of depression. There are actual studies that nurses and physicians have higher rates of suicide. I think there are a lot of contributing variables. *the nature of the stressful work *how being stressed out and drained affects family/significant other life --not tonight..i'm too tired (everynight?)-- *the caring empathetic personality which goes into nursing-- it makes sense that sensitive people would have higher rates of depression

I am actually pretty offended at one of the comments advising the poster to just be happy. Although a positive attitude is important, depression is a neurochemical real illness which sometimes does necessitate medication. I often advise friends, family, and patients that antidepressants can actually be very useful even in temporary situational depressions!!

I think antidepressants are a good idea temporarily to support your mood while you get out of the current situation. No job is worth your mental health

take care

[rommelh]

Guys I hope all of you will resolve you individual issues and for us new Grads we just have to think that Nursing is not just a job but a calling.

Take care you all.....

RL86