Usingthejon

I bought a barbell and some weights for home, as well as a jump rope. On days (well, nights) when I have to work, I'll hit the gym hard in the morning (about 1.5 to 2 hours), then sleep. Ask anyone who knows me, and the "thing" I'm known for is eating like there's no tomorrow. However, Im only 207lbs, 5'10" and workout 5-6 times a week. But, if I eat at work, I'll also have a breakfast, sleep and eat again. So, instead of eating a traditional meal after 7pm, I have a protein shake (1, **maybe** 2) over my 12 hour shift. I bought a barbell and some weights for home, as well as a jump rope; If i'm too tired after work to go to the gym, I'll do something at home with the equipment I have (deadlifts, squats, clean, snatch, jerks etc) with jumprope or sprints in between sets. In the last year, I've gotten away from using work as an excuse not to workout. Working nights is hard enough on my body, I don't need to compound reasons to avoid a sweat on top of it.

It would have to be my current manager: he has single handedly driven the morale down in the entire unit. How? 1. berating nurses in front of family, patient, doctors etc...for leaving a single alcohol wipe in the room. 2. refuses to allow RNs to explain what happened when something goes "wrong" (not how he wants it done) 3. flat out refuses to take patient assignments, even when the unit was 3 nurse short, without a charge RN or CNA, and had 2 nurses stay 8 hours overtime. 3 Nurse had to take 4 patients (unit ratio in DOU for CA is 1 RN:3 patients). On top of that, he didn't even attempt to provide break times, instead nurses had to cover for each other "because I have meetings" It's gotten SO bad here, that whenever he comes around, people disappear. I"ve heard him question why people leave when he comes around, one RN told him "cause they dont like you, in the same way you don't like them".

just had to comment on this; it's my 3rd night in a row (my schedule sucks) and guess what? 3rd night of no charge RN, break nurse being taken off break duty and given a patient assignment cause of staffing issues, 3rd straight night of no break or lunc due to lack of coverage. Just absolutely terrible. Healthcare is being passed off as service with a smile, when in reality, a majority of us (speaking from experience and words from coworkers) dont want to be hassled with call lights, bed pans, bed baths, etc because we have to ensure our charting is complete. Otherwise, "the hospital doesn't get paid" or "we won't pass survey". And heaven forbid we stay overtime to finish charting, "or else we'll have to justify our overtime". Ridiculous. What makes it worse is that the patients don't even realize they're not getting as much attention as they should because the patient care shortfalls are being covered with the following statement: "Is there anything else I can get you?"

without reading the other posts, here's who was staff at one hospital, at one time: My parents both worked ICU as RN I worked telemetry as an RN my sister was an EKG tech, while pursuing her RN my 2 cousins worked in PACU and OR an aunt worked psych another aunt worked med/surg another aunt worked the operator desk and my grandfather was a frequent flyer to Telemetry. What was the biggest complaint? Getting someone to pay for the day's lunch. We also worked for the same registry, and this happened: My mom, wife, sister and I went to work ICU, while my dad worked ER in the same shift. So unless there's some screwy dynamic, it isn't bad working alongside family.

Thanks for the replies thus far. As for work, I have fallen into the "crappy work area, but love the pay/benefits" environment. There is no ancillary support, or Charge RNs, so every night I work, its 12 hours without a break. Management doesn't care to address it, nor does the union, as both parties are in a "partnership". I know that doesn't help; I left another FT trauma ICU to accept a PT position here, as the FT position was becoming hostile, with a terrible manager and no HR or Union support (He basically said he was going to fire me if I took bereavement leave). The other thing that really escalated the burnout is I don't feel like an RN anymore; rather I feel like a bellboy, whos taking care of hotel guests, rather than patients. I really fought against that, not realizing that arguing against the hospital was like an ant fighting an elephant. Confiding in my wife and my son's godfather, both said that I essentially shouldn't look at nursing as a calling anymore, but rather as a job, since my employer now only rewards surveys instead of a healing/compassionate touch. As for my personal well-being: I spend my days off goofing around with my kids, laughing with my wife, working on my car, or working out. I am blessed with an amazing family who supports me. So i like to believe I'm really good there.

when my coworkers find out I don't drink, smoke, or gamble. Sadly, those are the common vices within the demographics I identify with.

I've been an RN since 2007, and honestly, the past few months have been the absolute most challenging times in my short career. In short, I just have a hard time working now. Before, I rarely called in sick, had aspirations to become a Charge RN, assistant manager, etc. Strong desire to return back to school and get my BSN, MSN and eventually NP. If I had to call in sick, I had to convince myself to actually do it, because I didn't want to let my coworkers down; if I did call in, I"d pick up another shift to make up for the call out. Now? I could care less. Some days, its a true slog to get to work; other days (well, nights) I have an ongoing internal monologue about calling off-basically, finding that reason to go into work (usually, cause I lack PTO). It seems multi-factorial. About 3 years ago, I left bedside to go to an OPO (Organ procurement) and actually experienced the best time of my career. For 2 years, never called in sick, always did what I had to do to ensure success for my job, coworkers and family. However, the long hours took time away from my family, so I had to resign from it. In that short time away, I feel that bedside nursing has changed so much, to the point that I have days where I question the meaning of my job...am I caring for the patient, family, or for the surveys? Doesn't help that every night I work, we don't have charge nurses or reliable breaks. I just don't know what to do............