QI, Stress Mgt,...

[OncNewbie]

I have been an working in an oncology/med-surg floor for a little less than six months. I'm already thinking about going into a different area of nursing. Most of the staff members on my unit are stressed to the max & miserable. I can kind of see why they are unhappy because their actions are always being criticized. Is this common place? Mgt comes in early & checks on random patients. I understand people's lives are @ stake.

How do you not take your job home w/ you?

[Agnus]

How do you not take your job home w/ you?

This might sound a bit froo froo, woo woo, but it works for me.

I hang work on a shrub outside my house. I absolutely do not pick it up again until I leave for work again.

I tried hanging it on one outside the hospital but sometimes I need the time the drive home takes to let it go.

By the same token I leave home issues on a bush outside the hospital.

It sounds a little silly. Well maybe a lot. Try it though. Agree with yourself once you have passed that bush, or what ever you hang your job on, you will not visit it until you pass it on the way back to work. This means if you pass it going anyplace but work you can not touch it. Just keep going.

If you can not let something go and hang it up by the time you get home give yourself a few (only a few) extra minutes in your car and then cut yourself off. Hang it up and go inside. Your goal during those few minutes is to let it go.

That also means I do not talk shop away from work. Well except here.

[StrwbryblndRN]

I usually do not bring work home. But there are moments that I speak with my husband about my job but very very vague details. I do not discuss general pt care. (he cant handle the details)

I usually save any frustrations for allnurses.com. Otherwise I talk with friends who works in other facilities.

I try not to sound like I am venting. I am still new as a nurse and like to share with others. I just make sure that the person listening can give feedback. It gives it purpose to the conversation.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I answered your other thread and had not seen this one. Don't know what state you are living in, but if things are this bad at work, change jobs. In many jobs, I could put up with the amount of work that had to be done. But, the deal breaker is always the people that you have to work with. They make or break the work place environment.

[StrwbryblndRN]

I agree with Daytonite too. The people really make up your work environment. You can do the same job elsewhere. It's the people that change.