Reasons For Burn Out

himilayaneyes · Apr 20, 2011

Well, I've only held a job as a cashier at McDonald's, a file clerk, and registered nurse. I've never had to take work home with me with any of those jobs. By far I love the hours and pay of being a RN much better than those other jobs. I can't imagine the pressure of constantly trying to find work and keeping other families fed as well. I only have to feed myself..which is great for the time being. I work 3 12-hr shifts a week so I'm off most of the week which is great. As nurses, we are required to work weekends and holidays and usually there's no such thing as a set schedule. That's not the schedule for every facility though...there's also long term care like nursing homes, assisted living facilities, clinics, offices, etc. However, we don't have to take work home with us. I leave my patient right there in that bed when I clock out. It's a good line of work. However, like all professions nursing is in its own rut right now as well. I'd encourage you to speak to different recruiters regarding prospects for nursing jobs and to see if you really want to be a nurse. Good luck.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2011

I worked in the corporate world myself before becoming a nurse. Stress is stress...but nursing is a different KIND of stress. You work hard to get through school, which is no easy task, then you study your fool butt off for the NCLEX, hold your breath until you get notification that you actually passed, then start the process of finding a job. From what I gather on this forum, it is difficult to find a job in nursing in some areas of the country.

When you finally do land a job, you go through orientation. Some programs are good, some are just pieced together, and some are so frustrating that you feel like quitting altogether. Just like in any area of the workforce, you have good preceptors and bad preceptors. The good ones will share their "pearls of wisdom" with you and guide you well. The bad ones don't really know how to teach, and not only won't offer much help, but also will treat you like a pest. The key is to find nurses that are willing to help you learn. Most are wonderful teachers.

Your first year will make you want to pull your hair out. If you think that you have good organizational skills, the first year of nursing will put this to the test. Whatever plan you have in your mind at the beginning of the day will probably go all to (fill in the blank) in the first couple of hours. You have to learn how to do several tasks at once, you must prioritize your care, you must know how to delegate effectively and professionally, and you must know when to question doctors orders. You have to know pharmacotherapeutics and their mechanisms.

You will be expected to work long hours, much of the time without breaks. When you go home, you will be so tired that you feel that you have been dropped from a building. You will learn work/home balance, but it isn't easy. You will more than likely remember something that you meant to do during your shift RIGHT as you fall asleep.

I think one of the most stressful things regarding the nursing profession is that nurses are held to such a high standard-meaning that we must be efficient, caring, professional, and error free. Mistakes can have serious consequences, and can sometimes result in having your license revoked. That means all the work that you did to get to where you are goes down the toilet. Our livelihoods depend on precision in everything that we do regarding patient care. That can sometimes seem like we are carrying the world on our shoulders.

The flip side of the stress is that we are able to help many people in the most intimate ways. We see patients and families at their most vulnerable time. We have an impact on people that most of society never experiences. I consider it an honor to care for patients, because I know that my interventions are helping them heal. You make a difference EVERY SINGLE DAY. That alone is worth the stress to me.

Good luck to you. It is a different world, but you will never be bored, you will never have the same day twice, and you get to work with some seriously funny people. Nurses have a great sense of humor, for the most part. I hope you choose to join the profession!

Sugarcoma, RN · Apr 20, 2011

Hi canadian!

My previous work history includes bartender/waitress, secretary, office manager, and helping my husband run our own business which was construction related so I fully understand what you mean about your business experience.

I became a nurse almost 2 years ago and can say I am definitely burnt out. I had no trouble finding a job and have been working steadily so that is good but my work conditions are less than stellar. I work on a chronically short staffed trauma unit with majority new grads that has terrible ratio's and while not technically considered a step down unit is utilized as one. Our patients are heavy and complicated and I currently work in an institution that is continuously forcing more non nursing duties onto us staff nurses. Examples include nurses are held accountable for patients complaints of room cleanliness but have no access to the cleaning supplies (much less time to clean the room!) and this is just one of a hundred examples I could give. In short we nurses are responsible for everything and have control over nothing. couple this with lateral violence, managers who are constantly throwing you under the bus, MD colleagues who are darn near impossible to get a hold of and immature co-workers.......it is not a great environment and this is why I am burnt out.

I am in MI and the job market is tight for nurses. I am truly hoping a facility change will renew my passion because I actually do love nursing. I would definitely advise you to get a cna or pct position before you decide if this is the career for you so you can really see what it is we do.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Apr 20, 2011

I think nurses that work in departments they do not like burn out a lot quicker. I work in OB, have for almost two years now; and I still love my job. If I was working on a M/S floor I am would be close to burn out right now. I have my friends on M/S and they occasionally call in sick because they just can not handle a third shift.

CanadianWolverine · Apr 20, 2011

My mother still does the staffing in our local hospital for the nurses and they call in sick all the time. I know they are understaffed in the worst way and are under a lot of pressure to work extra days and stay late. They have a very low turnover rate in spite of this though since the hospital for the most part is made up of very kind and team spirited people. My wife also works there.

I have no fear of getting a job in the states as I have a pre op job lined up for whenever I grad in CA. I plan on moving back to Canada though because everything is unionized and the retirement plan is much better. I also have work lined up here if I want it(psych).

What I am more interested in is your own personal story I suppose. Like what you did before, why you chose it and how you feel now about it. It seems to me like the emotional aspect is the biggest drain and cause of burn out. Am I right about that? I want to make a game plan and compare it to my other experiences. I plan on shadowing to get a taste of it as well.

I appreciate the responses so far, so keep em coming. 3-4 days a week @ 12 hours still seems like a dream to me shift wise in comparison to what I have been doing. I have spoken with a few Psych Nurses about their job and they loved it. They said males also tend to have a regulatory effect on the floor as well, as in they wouldn't try half the things they would with female nurses.

I am built to stay up late (all night lol) too, so I am looking forward to that. In commercial fishing I had night shift and also would work 2-3 days straight with no sleep when needed. Your mind just needs to be in the right frame...and hung off center haha.

Thanks again.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2011

I am also a second career nurse, and I left hotel management after 10 years of burnout. I was also used to 12 to 14 hour days on salary, which amounts to nothing. I learned from this, and vowed that I would not make the same mistakes as a nurse. Yes, we also work long hours but I'm in a Union and I am paid very well as a nurse. I enjoy my job, and although I am a new nurse, I've been pretty good at leaving work at work. I try to do the best I can with the time I have during my shift. I take a shorter break in order to leave on time. More importantly, when I walked away from the hotel, I realized the importance of work/life balance. I can't take care of anyone if I'm not taking care of myself first. GL

gayle_the_RN · Apr 20, 2011

Massive amounts of paperwork, management thinking of new, extra jobs you can do, being given 2 admits back to back or at the same time because you had the discharges, MDs coming into the nursing lounge when you're on break because they want to know if the patient ate, family members wanting to talk to you when you'd just gone on break so they sit and check their watches every 3 minutes and fume because you dare to take that break in the first place so when you get back to the floor they're inconsolable, orders not carried out by the previous shift/yesterday's RN so now it's your fault, secretaries missing an order and it's your fault, coworker doesn't answer her own lights so you constantly have to go in the room, coworker can't- or won't- start an IV to save her life so your'e always doing it, PCA is lazy so you're doing everything- everything after morning vitals, PCA makes up vitals or output and you give a med based on that, putting the paitent into hypotension, coworkers with poor attitudes, tiny lounge with gas station quality bathroom, same complaints over and over and over and nothing ever done, getting to smell and get covered in stool every day, working with homeless people who throw their trays at you because the food wasn't good enough, these are but a few of the things that are going to burn you out.

Butterfliesnroses · Apr 20, 2011

I worked fast food and retail until I was 18. When I turned 18 I became a CNA and worked as a CNA for 6 years. I'd say at the end there I was burned out as a CNA. I KNEW my CNA days were almost done. I had more knowledge than the average CNA. I wasn't yet a nurse though, so I felt like I was too qualified to be a CNA yet not qualifed enough to be a nurse yet! I found what burned me out as a CNA was not enough help, and working too many days in a row (we are talking 18 days in a row!). I became a nurse in October. Because of my prior CNA experience, I KNOW what the signs of burnout are and so I KNOW my limit and I KNOW when I can say no to picking up an extra day. I was recently working 2 jobs. 3 nights at 1 and 3 days at the other. So I recognized I was feeling burned out. So I quit the one day shift job. Right now I LOVE my schedule! I work Thurs-Sat night and am off Sun-wed! I feel that since my daughter is young that this will be my schedule for awhile! I love being able to work 3 days and get my 36 hours! I don't ever feel burned out at my current facility! I always have the supplies I need, the staff is fairly adequate, the pay is $6 more than my last job, and like I said I KNOW I only have to tough it out 3 days. So if I'm having a bad week, there is an end in sight!

CanadianWolverine · Apr 20, 2011

Massive amounts of paperwork, management thinking of new, extra jobs you can do, being given 2 admits back to back or at the same time because you had the discharges, MDs coming into the nursing lounge when you're on break because they want to know if the patient ate, family members wanting to talk to you when you'd just gone on break so they sit and check their watches every 3 minutes and fume because you dare to take that break in the first place so when you get back to the floor they're inconsolable, orders not carried out by the previous shift/yesterday's RN so now it's your fault, secretaries missing an order and it's your fault, coworker doesn't answer her own lights so you constantly have to go in the room, coworker can't- or won't- start an IV to save her life so your'e always doing it, PCA is lazy so you're doing everything- everything after morning vitals, PCA makes up vitals or output and you give a med based on that, putting the paitent into hypotension, coworkers with poor attitudes, tiny lounge with gas station quality bathroom, same complaints over and over and over and nothing ever done, getting to smell and get covered in stool every day, working with homeless people who throw their trays at you because the food wasn't good enough, these are but a few of the things that are going to burn you out.

This sounds like it's the hospital you are working at no? I have been a patient at or been the close family member in a few scenarios where I have been able to watch (like a hawk) the workings of the nurses. They all really help each other and are there for one another. My family (cousins) who are also nurses say much the same.These are in Canada though. My one experience with a nurse in Tacoma when I was a child was not a good one lol. Personally I would never take any crap from anyone maybe from my experience as a boss for so many years. I feel really sorry for you that you are in this situation....maybe its time for a new job?

CanadianWolverine · Apr 20, 2011

I am also a second career nurse, and I left hotel management after 10 years of burnout. I was also used to 12 to 14 hour days on salary, which amounts to nothing. I learned from this, and vowed that I would not make the same mistakes as a nurse. Yes, we also work long hours but I'm in a Union and I am paid very well as a nurse. I enjoy my job, and although I am a new nurse, I've been pretty good at leaving work at work. I try to do the best I can with the time I have during my shift. I take a shorter break in order to leave on time. More importantly, when I walked away from the hotel, I realized the importance of work/life balance. I can't take care of anyone if I'm not taking care of myself first. GL

Pretty much my thinking right now exactly.

I worked fast food and retail until I was 18. When I turned 18 I became a CNA and worked as a CNA for 6 years. I'd say at the end there I was burned out as a CNA. I KNEW my CNA days were almost done. I had more knowledge than the average CNA. I wasn't yet a nurse though, so I felt like I was too qualified to be a CNA yet not qualifed enough to be a nurse yet! I found what burned me out as a CNA was not enough help, and working too many days in a row (we are talking 18 days in a row!). I became a nurse in October. Because of my prior CNA experience, I KNOW what the signs of burnout are and so I KNOW my limit and I KNOW when I can say no to picking up an extra day. I was recently working 2 jobs. 3 nights at 1 and 3 days at the other. So I recognized I was feeling burned out. So I quit the one day shift job. Right now I LOVE my schedule! I work Thurs-Sat night and am off Sun-wed! I feel that since my daughter is young that this will be my schedule for awhile! I love being able to work 3 days and get my 36 hours! I don't ever feel burned out at my current facility! I always have the supplies I need, the staff is fairly adequate, the pay is $6 more than my last job, and like I said I KNOW I only have to tough it out 3 days. So if I'm having a bad week, there is an end in sight!

Yes this is I am imagining....instead of me having to put up with what I do 7 days a week 3-4 days with no at home baggage is well... :rolleyes: :heartbeat

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2011

OK, CanadianW...if you can hang with deep sea fishing for days on end with no sleep, nursing will be no problem for you! When I come home frustrated and complaining, all I have to do is watch Deadliest Catch for an hour and I quit my whining.

I see that you made a statement about not taking any crap from anyone...and while I think this is a good rule of thumb in life, in the nursing world, you kinda do have to take crap. Literally.

If you have a doc giving you crap about not having sterile instruments available for his first case, you can't very well give him crap back-you have to rectify the situation even though YOU are not at fault. This is the biggest hurdle that nurses face, in my opinion. We get flogged for things that are out of our control, yet have to fix it. For example, I am charge nurse in a busy OR. We are required to open 40 rooms each day. If I have staff that call out sick, I cannot possibly staff 40 rooms. As a charge nurse, I don't have the authority to just call a temp agency to get nurses to staff the rooms. My boss (the Medical Director) does not take "no" for an answer. So that means that I have to stagger rooms in order to open them...which means that I have surgeons who are screaming because they can't start their cases on time...and I have the medical director yelling at me because the surgeons are yelling at me. WHAT do I do?!?!? It is frustrating to fix problems when you are given no autonomy to do so, work with a broken system, and do so with professionalism.

I bet you would love nursing. It is fast paced if you choose the right specialty for you. What are you interested in? When do you want to start school? Have you applied?