Burnt Out - What Units Should I Consider?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

I have 9 years of experience in various units in the hospital. I am so burnt out I vomit before I go into work. Yes, literally. I have applied to other positions to no avail. I have great references, I am told I am the hardest working and moral person people have me told me over and over. I redid my resume but only am being offered travel hospital jobs. I just cannot do it anymore. Any advice please? Thank you so much.

Dear So Burnt Out,

It's time for a break from direct clinical practice! You have a strong resume and excellent work ethic. Nine years of pressure, stress and intensity is alot.

Here's some brainstorming thoughts:

Clinical nursing instructor for a local nursing program

Home health

Palliative care (inpatient role)

Hospice

Oncology clinic

Outpatient surgery

House Supervisor

Activate your network and let others know you are looking for a new opportunity.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"...and your next!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

You can leave and find something better

[elkpark]

Here's some brainstorming thoughts:

Clinical nursing instructor for a local nursing program ...

Back when you were a nursing student, would you want to have had a clinical instructor who was in that position because s/he was burned out on actual nursing practice?? I know that I wouldn't, and I think that nursing students deserve better -- not that there's anything wrong with being burned out or wanting to get away from bedside/clinical nursing, but, please, the answer to that is not to go into teaching nursing, IMO.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Back when you were a nursing student, would you want to have had a clinical instructor who was in that position because s/he was burned out on actual nursing practice?? I know that I wouldn't, and I think that nursing students deserve better -- not that there's anything wrong with being burned out or wanting to get away from bedside/clinical nursing, but, please, the answer to that is not to go into teaching nursing, IMO.

I'm curious why you think this.

Is it your definition of burned out?

[E.N., RN]

While I agree that you shouldn't teach just to get out of bedside nursing, most of the nursing instructors in my BSN program were there because they no longer had the physical energy to do hospital nursing. If you think that you would like teaching and could do it well, you would be in good company.

[elkpark]

While I agree that you shouldn't teach just to get out of bedside nursing, most of the nursing instructors in my BSN program were there because they no longer had the physical energy to do hospital nursing. If you think that you would like teaching and could do it well, you would be in good company.

To me, there's a big difference between still being enthusiastic about nursing and your career in nursing but feeling that bedside nursing requires more physical energy than you have to spare, and feeling "so burnt out I vomit before I go into work." I'm not in any way criticizing the OP for feeling that way, but I still feel strongly that students deserve to have instructors who are enthusiastic and positive about nursing.