Hello all. I'm looking for some advice or maybe hints on how to handle my stress at work. I am not a new nurse. I worked for about a year at a LTC SNF, then 3 years in outpatient with case management and low income patients. I have been at the hospital about half a year now and dread going to work every day. I prayed for a hospital job for years but never got one until after I finally finished my BSN. Now I regret taking the job because I am so stressed out and afraid.
I work on a floor where acuity is high. We take PD, HD, non-critical drips like insulin, heparin, dobutamine, CBI, etc. We also take a ton of addiction/active withdrawal patients and tons of psych issues, complicated telemetry patients, and more. We even can take patients on bipap. However, I received 5 weeks of training with 5 preceptors then was left alone on nights with at least 6 patients every night. All of my preceptors have left this unit and moved on as well as at least 20 other staff members on that floor since I came. I fear so much that I will miss something or do something wrong. Any time a patient's IV infiltrates, I get an admission with a bunch of bedsores, or I hear any alarm, I start to have a panic attack inside. This is not normal for me. I clinically feel I am competent but I am overwhelmed with such a high acuity patient load and there's always 10,000 things going on and going wrong. Is there any advice you guys might have to calm down? I want to cry almost all shift every shift. I am afraid I am a bad nurse because some people seem to be just fine. I have been a nurse much longer than some people who are thriving there as well. I am so sad.
I want to leave and go somewhere else but there are not a lot of jobs in this area and I can't transfer to another unit within this system for at least a year. I am depressed recently and don't know if I can do this 6 more months. :'(
Welcome to nursing. It doesn't get easier, because you care about your patients and want to keep them safe. That's the burden of our jobs. They dump more responsibilities and we keep trucking along trying to keep up. Trying to keep calm is like not bleeding when stepping on a tack. I'm ready to walk away from this profession after 20 years. When your bones start aching more and the stress sets in the night before, you know it's time to change jobs or career. Don't waste 20 years then wish you had done something sooner.
Yeah, hospital nursing is rough. Really, it isn't you--too much is being asked of you.
Stress relievers are different for everybody--yoga sounds awesome. I like loud music blaring in my headphones--it just helps the outside world fade out.
Keep looking around--there might be more available in your area than you know! Nursing has such variety--I am sure you will find something else that suits you better.
As many have said here life is far too short to be stuck in a job that kills your spirit. Hospital floor nursing is very difficult and definitely not for everyone. I was an LPN for a long time before becoming an RN last year and starting my first hospital job on a busy Med-Surg floor at the start of this year. In my case, I feel totally supported by management and I have awesome coworkers. Without that I could see how this job could create immense stress and anxiety.
Sometimes we we can tough situations out and sometimes the reality is it really is just not a good fit for you and that's fine too. Don't sacrifice your physical and mental health for any job. With the high turnover and your feeling fearful about even being able to reach out to your unit's management it sounds like a very toxic work environment. I hope you're able to find something that makes you happy soon.
justmovingon
21 Posts
Welcome to nursing. It doesn't get easier, because you care about your patients and want to keep them safe. That's the burden of our jobs. They dump more responsibilities and we keep trucking along trying to keep up. Trying to keep calm is like not bleeding when stepping on a tack. I'm ready to walk away from this profession after 20 years. When your bones start aching more and the stress sets in the night before, you know it's time to change jobs or career. Don't waste 20 years then wish you had done something sooner.