Nursing Anxiety

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I have been a nurse on tele for a year and half. I have come to realize that I am pretty miserable with my job on tele. Although I love working only 3 days a week. I am applying to some jobs within the hospital and I have major anxiety. What if the grass is not greener on the other side? I have gotten to the point of wishing I just was never in nursing, even though I went into it because I love to help people. I am open to working Monday-Friday but how do people do it with kids and appointments? It makes me feel like I am destined to be a floor nurse because a Monday-Friday job doesn't seem possible. I guess what I am asking is has anyone started in a job they just didn't feel was right for them and took the leap for something else? Is nursing really that different from telemetry nursing? Thanks

I have been a nurse on tele for a year and half. I have come to realize that I am pretty miserable with my job on tele. Although I love working only 3 days a week. I am applying to some jobs within the hospital and I have major anxiety. What if the grass is not greener on the other side? I have gotten to the point of wishing I just was never in nursing, even though I went into it because I love to help people. I am open to working Monday-Friday but how do people do it with kids and appointments? It makes me feel like I am destined to be a floor nurse because a Monday-Friday job doesn't seem possible. I guess what I am asking is has anyone started in a job they just didn't feel was right for them and took the leap for something else? Is nursing really that different from telemetry nursing? Thanks

I mean what do you have to lose? The grass probably isn't greener but you'd at least get a few months respite and you'd be too busy learning your new job to realize the problems. Then after a year after you realize that too is crap, you can analyze which crap you like better. I am sure there are ALWAYS openings back on tele...

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

Absolutely, it is possible to start out in a position that may not be your cup of tea, and make the switch to a more fulfilling or less demanding, anxiety-inducing job. I began my career in a LTC facility, believing that it would be a great fit for me, with my interest in elderly people and my "new nurse" excitement. Just 18 months later, I hit a wall, hard. Standing on my feet for 10+ hours during an "8" hour shift, passing an endless amount of pills, pain patches, inhalers, eye drops, ointments, creams, dealing with angry family members, documenting at least 4-5 falls each week and sending acutely ill patients to the emergency room...I came to the realization that I had to find something new. I made the best choice of my life by leaving that position for a job as a psych nurse, which I had always been very interested in, and which didn't require me to be on my feet all shift. Instead of being responsible for 44 patients on a geriatric floor, I was in charge of just 18-24 patients on an inpatient psychiatric unit. And...there were social workers who dealt with any angry family members! Start looking around now! Life is too short to be so anxious!

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.
Tele is killing me, like literally destroying my soul. I have never disliked a nursing specialty so much, never. I love the type of nursing that tele is, physiologically speaking. But like another poster said, they are trying to get blood from a stone. The ratios are insane, they are sending people who should be at a higher level of care because higher level of care is full and they don't want to send them out, we have no ancillary staff, we get emails all week about what we missed, etc. Hate is a strong word, but I am getting to the point that I hate my current job. It is to the point I have to take a benzo the nights before I work just to sleep and have been started on an antidepressant. I live in the middle of nowhere, job options are scarce. I am trying to suck it up until we move out of state. But I am truthfully hanging by a thread.

Please, please, friend, if the job is destroying your soul, you need to find something new! You remind me so much of myself, when I was working in LTC. Like you, I had to start taking an antidepressant to help me deal with the anxiety and stress of my work situation.

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I love my specialty, which is Mother/Baby I feel like it's less stressful and not as intense as other specialties. I spend a lot of time teaching about breast feeding and how to care for a new baby. It's a "happy" vibe on the unit because most people are celebrating their new baby..It's busy, but I love it. I've thought about doing clinic nursing just to have weekends off, but I can't find a way to make it work with my kids doctors appointments etc. It's so nice having 4 days off every week..that's a huge reason I stay in the hospital setting. I hope you find something !

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

I have always loved pediatrics and went from managing a peds unit, to working as a camp nurse once I had kids and am now doing school nursing. The hours are great for me and I am able to work M-F and take my kids to school and pick them up in the afternoons, plus I have all the same holidays they have, win win. Could you look into school nursing maybe? It's not a walk in the park, but if you are motivated, love kids and able to handle annoying parents ;) it's a great gig!

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.
Please, please, friend, if the job is destroying your soul, you need to find something new! You remind me so much of myself, when I was working in LTC. Like you, I had to start taking an antidepressant to help me deal with the anxiety and stress of my work situation.

Thank you for the support! I am trying, I am having trouble identifying a specialty that I might actually enjoy that has available positions here. I have worked on a lot of different units being float pool and so far have not found one that I love. I am trying to find something different, looking daily, and trying my best to manage my stress and do the best I can. I wish it was as easy as just walking away from the job (Someone else had mentioned that), but unfortunately we all have mitigating factors and you can't always just walk away. The crappy part is that I turned down a different position to take this job. I literally spent two weeks writing pros and cons, thinking I was making the best choice for me and my family. Sometimes you never know what you are getting into until you are into it. Even when you take a ton of time and thought into weighing the options before you. I am happy you found something you like and got out of a bad situation! Thank you again!

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Specializes in Vascular Access.
People romanticize nursing.

TRUTH!

I spent my first several years of nursing with my full time job and at least one PRN on the side in a different area. I did some switching around to find my fit. Now I've been in my current FT job for 7 years with a couple PRN's on the side in the same area. And I LOVE it... Every job has its awesomeness and bummers... Just find a job that best suits your talents and interests.

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Specializes in Stepdown telemetry, vascular nursing..

I know the anxiety that you speak about. I was night shift and I used to dread going into work, I questioned and doubted myself constantly. I think I was intelligent, but lacked experience and always assumed the worst. I went to day shift, and I felt like I was more exposed to things, learned more, talked to the doctors more. My unit has a high turnover rate, patient are more and more acute, and our manager micromanages constantly, but would do anything to keep us working. Nurses with 14+ years quit my floor. The med surg floor next to us has some of the happiest nurses that have been there for 20+ years. Their ratio is 5:1, they only chart once per shift and changes, the patients are in and out in 3 days, nurses help them get better, they get their surgery and are on their way soon thereafter. You might feel better on a med surg floor. A lot of nurses say that everybody should start there before venturing off on tele.

Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU, ER.

Anxiety is quite understandable considering the pressure in nursing. But, nothing is impossible. Do some research first before going for any area, as there are many and choose the one that you feel most comfortable with. Keeping your personal life separate from the professional one is the key. Making slight arrangements in your life like choosing childcare after school for your kids can ease some of your worries. Supportfrom coworkers is important too. It is going to be difficult, yes, but it is manageable.

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someone said the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I agree. Just don't expect it. Just have to make changes or compromises. I also have anxiety coming to work because I don't know if it's going to be busy and crazy on the floor. Bedside floor nursing is demanding. I love those easy nights I have. I'm looking at other options myself. As the years went by maybe coz of better time management and experience, floor nursing became manageable to the point it was just a tad easier and doable. Has anyone felt that way?or is it just me.I'm looking at ER, it's also demanding, much more so than the floor, but it would be a good experience I think. I have nearly a decade experience on the floor, but I am looking forward to the challenge of the ER

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I work Monday through Friday and have two kids. I actually don't mind it. My schedule is set so I don't have to worry about changing shifts or days. I have daycare Monday through Friday and a very similar schedule to my husband so we spend time together.

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