So Frustrated!!!! Is it normal to feel this way?

[lovemyguys]

Oh, what a few weeks I've been having. Everyone at work is burnt to a crisp, myself included. Every day that I work in L&D I feel like it can't get any worse- and then it does!

I truly LOVE bonding with pts and their families, teaching, analyzing, all that good stuff- BUT I feel like I'm being stretched way too thin lately.

Today for example, they started me off by floating my to PP. I had four couplets that were all to be discharged, two of which had social service consults, feeding issues, etc. I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off all morning. One Dad has the nerve to say to me when I didn't have he and his wife dc'd by 1100 today, "I think you and the hospital have some kind of conspiracy going here, where you get paid extra for keeping us here past 24 hours" Yep, you're right buddy. I'm cashing in on some fat bonuses over here and it's all for keeping you guys AS LONG AS I CAN. That's right- those extra two hours really padded my pockets!!

So halfway through shift they call me back over to labor, and I"m thrown an active pt, plus an OB check. I tried to cover a really grumpy nurse for break and ended up doing a delivery for her (to which I got reemed- sorry, I couldn't exactly tell the baby to stay put til you got back from the cafeteria and she was 4 cm when you left 5 mins ago!) We literally had 30 pts get off the elevator today. It was horrendous!

Ugh..even my charge nurse was short with everyone today; we were all there an hour past change of shift trying to catch up.

But the worst part is that I'm REALLY doubting myself as a nurse right now. I feel like I'm forgetting to document little silly things and that I'm going to endanger my license if things go on like this. I hate leaving work feeling that way. I'm so fried. My feet have blisters again I'm crying just typing this.

If you've read this far, thanks. Sorry for the long rant. I'm just feeling a little pathetic tonight. I've been working as a nurse in L&D for 1 yr 9 months and this is the first time I've truly felt BURNT:mad: I usually try to stay positive, but right now I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for listening.

~S

[SmilingBluEyes]

please see my reply to you in the general forum!

[MelissaCT]

I know how you feel: We have been very busy as well, and are experiencing maternity and medical leaves.

It is very unsafe, and frustrating! I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I leave for work!

[tamrnmomof4]

I am usually a very positive person, I let most things roll off my back, but I am also getting tired!! I am very frustrated with more patient care, less compensation!! (was just told me are losing or bonus program). It is getting very scary, there are times when things are not safe. Last week I was called in on call, I had a patient who was 8cms, new epidural on pitocin and mec, a patient with PIH who was somewhat stable, and the nurse supervisor called said she needed me to take a new admission of a preterm labor.... needing possible mag is the second dose of terb did not work....to add to all of this I was told we were back to using paper instead of the birthnet(computer), which means more charting......I have only been a nurse for 3 years and am already tired! While at the mall I noticed that the fast food resturant had more people staffing behind the counter than we have sometimes on our unit.....what are we to do!!!!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Welcome to nursing. I think that if everyone got their baby and themselves discharged in one piece they should be happy. Don't you love having 4 discharges, and they all want to be first? And no one will take no for an answer.

If you got a baby out of a woman who was 4cm for me I would be kissing you. Come relieve me for break anytime, hon.

[babs_rn]

Originally posted by tamrnmomof4

While at the mall I noticed that the fast food resturant had more people staffing behind the counter than we have sometimes on our unit.....what are we to do!!!!

I have noticed that, myself, in a number of other businesses. When peoples' lives aren't at stake they can have all KINDS of help - because those folks are CHEAPER than nurses...but then nurses are cheaper than lawsuits.

Don't doubt yourself as a nurse simply because you're stretched too thin and begin forgetting little things. Only means you're HUMAN. And all humans have their limits. I realize there are some out there who seem like Supernurses but I guarantee you that there is something suffering in their lives too. Keep your priorities, and take care of yourself first because if you don't, you won't be able to take care of anybody else. We all have our brains totally saturated from time to time and when that happens, there just isn't ROOM for anything else so little things do fall in the mix...we get absentminded, so caught up in all the big stressful stuff we have to deal with that we miss out on so, so much. Hope you feel better getting that off your chest, and do know that we DO understand. Hang in there, don't knock yourself....

And if you love bonding with the families and all, have you considered working in an OB/GYN office? Less stress, you get to do your education on an ongoing basis, bond with the developing families and help support the pregnancies. I did that for two years, and it is truly the best job I ever had.

Good luck to you!

Babs