One year into nursing and I'm burned out already!

Sonjailana · Jan 13, 2009

I'm not that burned out...but I am at the same point in nursing. After a year, any ideals I had from school are gone. Sometimes I can provide excellent care, sometimes it's just adequate. It all depends..on the family that pulls the staff emergency to get my attention (happened yesterday) for example. I often spend at least an hour of my shift looking for vitals machines, syringes, you name it.

I don't really understand how a manager could coerce you stay after your contract is up..I mean, he/she could blackball if he/she is really evil, but I would be surprised. Maybe trying OR/ICU? OR is more staff-staff interaction, and ICU, the patients don't usually talk and you can send the families home (there are set visiting hours).

neatnurse30 · Jan 13, 2009

I really hear you and feel the same way as most of the nurses on our floor. The situation won't change, there will be more and more paperwork, and families are demanding and rude as ever. Many nurses left the hospital to go to doctors' offices or just work per diem ( 1-2 a week at the most) as I do, too. Nursing coordinators are not helpful at all, and are the first to point fingers what any nurse did wrong. I have no doubt that floor nursing is worse than any other job you might find in this country. Just nobody wants to address this issue.

Jokerhill · Jan 13, 2009

I always tell new nurses to start somewhere they don't want to stay then to move where they want to be after that. You make a lot of mistakes and learn a lot the first year and you need to leave those feelings of uncertainty there. That dumb thing you did or that patient yelled at you was in that room ect... you just need to leave it behind you. Now that you have new skills and confidence you can start new and feel good about where you are and not be reminded everyday by your surroundings and of the uneasy feeling you had there . It is hard also to work with everyone who saw you screw up day after day, they will always think of you that way as the beginner that needs help. Get away from the situation and start new and you will feel better.

CathyLew · Jan 13, 2009

I always tell new nurses to start somewhere they don't want to stay then to move where they want to be after that. You make a lot of mistakes and learn a lot the first year and you need to leave those feelings of uncertainty there.

never thought of that, but it is a good idea.

smalltownnurse2506 · Jan 13, 2009

I worked med/surg for 2 years before transferring to ICU. They were able to hold up my transfer for 5 months, but I did eventually make it there. What I always tell people is that you won't get any other job unless you apply for it. You may have to wait, but it may be worth it in the end.

SoundofMusic · Jan 13, 2009

Jokerhill, I appreciate your words of wisdom. I do feel like I will always be the "newbie" on this floor, always the "orientee" and so many nurses there sort of hold it over me when they get the chance. Not that I don't appreciate all each of them has done to help me, teach me, train me, etc. They have been wonderful -- but I will be SO ready to move on here when my time comes. I just feel almost like my specialty is boxing me in.

Thanks, also, smalltownnurse, for your encouragement. Interesting to know why they will hold up your transfer. Guess they just don't want to lose a nurse -- and that's understandable -- but they should also want to retain a nurse in their hospital and allow that nurse to develop and go where his/her interests lie. I would hope a happy nurse is their overall goal.

cjmjmom · Jan 13, 2009

I empathize with you and hope you learn to find a way to find peace as you make a living. Nursing is difficult no doubt about it! I tend to be outspoken and have become more so since the years have ticked by but I feel very strongly that we need to voice our frustrations to managers and administrators first verbally and then in writing. Also, we need to communicate with the public (talks at centers and editorials in newspapers etc.) and our state representatives and senators to WAKE them up to the REALITIES of hospitals. They honestly do not know...they only know what administration (ties and skirts) tells them not the everyday realities of what bedside nurses do. Nurses make up the largest percentage of healthcare employees which translates into lots of influence...we just have to learn how to have that influence! Like it or not politics runs everything, even our profession. We could sit on the sidelines and allow those NOT at the bedside to lead us or WE could lead ourselves. (Sorry for the lecture but this is a subject near to my heart and I AM SICK AND TIRED OF WITNESSING YOUNG OR NEW NURSES GET EATEN UP BY THE SYSTEM! It's just plain wrong and it must stop!!)

jjjoy, LPN · Jan 13, 2009

Are there any specialty hospitals in your area? I remember during my various rotations in school that it seemed like the specialty hospitals with a real mission to cater to a certain population/problem ran more smoothly & took better care of their nursing staff... I'm specifically thinking of the local children's hospital and cancer center. I think they both also tend to pay a little less than comparative positions, tend to prefer the primary nursing model, and have low turnover.

Similarly, within your own facility, I'd imagine the hardest units to get into probably have the highest staff satisfaction. So if you can identify a unit that you'd really like to work in, it might be worth a long-term, persistent effort to get in there.

Meanwhile, maybe you can cross-train to float to other units or pick up extra per diem work to check out other areas before making a permanent change.

Just thoughts! They may not apply to your situation. I hope you work something out!

inland18mempire · Jan 13, 2009

i've only been working for about 6 months now on a med-surg unit and i'm burned out too. i'd love to switch to part time but i need the health insurance! (well, i don't really need it, but i know the 1 week I go without is the 1 week I'll accumulate a massive medical bill). My unit is just OK. Of course the only time you're called into the office is to tell you what you did wrong and give you a write-up. My supervisor is very policy-oriented and doesn't really use common sense. She's an ex-ICU nurse and just the other day she said to me (exact words): "Someday I'm going to leave med-surg, so I can go back to the ICU and be a real nurse." Gee, thanks for the encouragement! I'd love to find an area of nursing that's not so physically demanding. Nothing ticks me off more than when a patient's calls me into the room so s/he can ask me to push their side table closer to them so they don't have to lean forward to reach for their water. I swear, it seems like people with the least amount of problems have the most amount of complaints, and the patient with the msot amount of problems have the least amount of complaints. My post is totally off topic but I just needed a therapeutic release.

marie-francoise · Jan 13, 2009

All that "chart every fart" documentation nurses have to do is courtesy of the vicehold that malpractice lawyers have on health care in this country. Gotta have everything charted in case it comes up in litigation, ya know. I love America, but I don't love its litigiousness.

RNperdiem, RN · Jan 14, 2009

Congratulations Soundofmusic for surviving that first year. I remember some of your old posts and the difficult transition you had that first year.

I also worked med-surg my first year and felt the burnout really quickly. I came to feel the dread of going back to work even on my days off.

I left on good terms. I felt no guilt because I gave the floor a full year of work, worked hard for my patients and gave plenty of notice when I left.

I enjoy ICU and have never regretted the move.