Doc Lori, R.N.

Thank you so much everyone, and congratulations to all the winners!

I watched a bit on the news yesterday and this guy was literally tweeting while having an MI, how he felt with the morphine, then being prepped for his CABG. He even video recorded himself while he was twittering. Wow.

I'd bet that it's a combination of physical and emotional exhaustion, giving, providing, caring and nurturing others...toxicity and burnout... Hang in there and focus on what led you to the desire to heal others..sometimes that helps in order to regain focus. Best wishes!

I seriously laughed out loud as I re-read this craziness! Just a bunch of passionate individuals expressing view points, and what the hell is wrong with that? :)

PCU, nursing is beyond hard work, and nurses are energetically authentic, meaning there are certain attributes which lead one to become a healer, just as there are certain attributes which lead one to be an air traffic controller, an author, an accountant. Often, in my experience with my clients in my counseling practice ( all of my clients are nurses), nurses on some level seek their own healing by way of healing others. This is as a result of childhood issues, past life issues (if one resonates with such a concept), or both. Who knows what your preceptor is experiencing internally, personally, etc. However, my opinion is that her inability or lack of desire to address her issues is not your job! New grads deserve the best start. I hope you were able to find the validation of your own truths through that experience! Best wishes on your career, PCU!

You seek counseling. You "nurse your spirit"!

Morte, Believe me, I totally and completely understand. It is only after many years of therapy, then forming my own counseling practice for nurses when I boiled it down and realized that on a visceral level, there is the scent of primal fear. Bottom line, mean people suck and there is no excuse for it..and we can choose to accept their energies into our space..or not :)

Thanks,j621d. I learned this through personal experience!

I think that some nurses have the propensity for burn out, and some don't, no matter where they work. The more work and research I do on this subject, the more I realize that. Someone with a solid sense of who they are, complete with a reasonably good sense of self worth and boundaries typically will not get *terribly* burned out, whereas the opposite can occur if those attributes are not present. Best wishes!

You are right..no one insinuated that the OP was stupid. She expressed herself that she would try not to ask any more stupid questions, (paraphrased). I should have clarified that. You bet your sweet bippy I speak of limits..and boundaries. You are employing yours, I am employing mine. It just seems as though there are ways to communicate with more positive results, instead of an OP apologizing and suggesting that her question was stupid.

Yeah, I am snarky and smart orificed too, and intelligent, and a counselor for a practice which is dedicated to nurses who experience the toxities of burnout. I am passionate about people supporting each other. Kindness along with a gentle and compassionate spirit go a helluva long way, even if you are telling someone that their breath and pits stink. I felt for the OP, I really did - I really do. Kids, yeah..I have 3. And two grandchildren, so I get it. I know how they roll. Easily duped..really? Let's just agree to disagree.

Oh Yay! It's button pushing time! Woohoo! Thanks for your opinion Jopacurn..however no one will be receiving an apology from me regarding this post. Not you, not anyone. You seem to be personally attacking me, yet I was not personally attacking you. I was blown away by the general tone of the responses, is all, and I thought I'd share my thoughts and show support to the OP. Seems like the shoe I threw out fit you the best? Perhaps it is appropriate for you to challenge your daughter, perhaps it is appropriate for her teacher to challenge your daughter. Perhaps the OP lacked confidence, and it is obvious that she is being gracious to all of the posters. Also, jopacurn, Who is us? What do you mean, don't judge "us"? This is not a them against me situation. I am not judging anyone, I am sharing my view of reactions to a circumstance. Also, it is clear that you highly regard education, and are quite educated yourself. That's fantastic! Yet, having said this, what do Kierkegaard or Keynesian Economics have to do with the price of eggs in New Jersey, and why are you "in" with it? Why was that important? Truth is, it doesn't matter. As long as the OP knows that no questions are stupid :)

She said please...jeez! Aren't there more polite, professional and respectful ways to address colleagues? Who says that the people who chose to respond to this post are meant to teach the OP a lesson? Seriously, with the eating their young! What purpose does your arrogance serve, other than to stroke your own egos? Where is the compassion? Have you all been shamed and spoken to as children in an adult learning situation, feeling the need to lash out at someone? Feeling the need to show them a thing or two? For what it's worth, my opinion is that this site is perfectly representative of personal, therefore professional burnout and toxicity. This is my brain :redpinkhe, and This is my brain when I realize that someone is being unsupportive and judgemental for the sake of enhancing the circumference of their puffed out chests For what it's worth.

Thx for that. I think it's rather interesting how this article is spinning! Wheee!

The whole thing is, everyone is on their own valid paths, whether or not their current vantage point at any particular point in time is good, bad or ugly..however it is up to us as individuals as to what we choose to allow to enter our realities. That's where self love and healthy boundaries come into play. We cannot control how others perceive, and therefore react to their surroundings, be it bitterness, rudeness or "eating their young", yet we can control how we will allow others to affect our realities..and in doing so, we are positively and energetically contagious :)