Should I tell my manager I'm burned out?

[QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm a nurse that works on a very busy and fast paced floor in a hospital. I'm a good employee, know my stuff and have been employed there for several years. This has caused management to give me more responsibility than some of my other co-workers such as training new hires and being charge nurse on the unit. I have been training new hires non-stop for over a year now and I am mentally fried to a crisp. I'm also in school to further my education so my work and home life stress have doubled recently.

I jut started training another person without so much as two week break in between the previous one and my head is not in it. I want to ask my manager for a break from it and to switch my orientee to a different nurse while it's still early on because she's not going to get a good orientation from someone who is over it (obviously I won't say it like that, but that's the general idea). Is this a good idea?

I don't think it's fair for managers to lump 90% of the work onto 10% of their employees. I should have acted like a bad worker, then I'd have less work to do like some of my slacker employees.

[txmurse69]

Yes you should tell your boss. It's sad that in nursing it often feels like your being punished if you excel at your job. I orient new nurses and charge on the floor for pennies, lol. New staff see that as a compliment to your ability, that you are trusted and looked up to. Sometimes it feels like your just being used and abused, lol. I think most tenured nurses feel that way at times, I'm very efficient so many days I get the heaviest assignment and I'm almost always 1st to admit another patient to the floor. Some days it feels trying, if your a strong nurse, your unit will rely on you heavily, more is expected of you yet you make the same money as a coworker that always gets the easier assignment because there not as strong. Ask for a breather from precepting and remember why you do the job, whatever your personal reasons are.

[QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP]

Yes you should tell your boss. It's sad that in nursing it often feels like your being punished if you excel at your job. I orient new nurses and charge on the floor for pennies, lol. New staff see that as a compliment to your ability, that you are trusted and looked up to. Sometimes it feels like your just being used and abused, lol. I think most tenured nurses feel that way at times, I'm very efficient so many days I get the heaviest assignment and I'm almost always 1st to admit another patient to the floor. Some days it feels trying, if your a strong nurse, your unit will rely on you heavily, more is expected of you yet you make the same money as a coworker that always gets the easier assignment because there not as strong. Ask for a breather from precepting and remember why you do the job, whatever your personal reasons are.

Yes, the pay is not enough to motivate me, it's one extra dollar for extra stress. It's not fair to me, or my orientee to have a preceptor whose head is not in the game at the moment. I am not a teacher by nature as it is, I'm also introverted, and I cannot stand having someone glued to my side all shift explaining every single thing I am doing. I do my job because it's expected of me, and I will do it well, but I need a break.

[guest52816]

Yes. You should tell your NM that you are unable to take on another orientee. If you are burned out, then the orientee won't get the best possible education and introduction to the unit.

I think it is unfair that certain nurses are asked (told) to precept over and over and over without much of a break.

Take care of yourself, and talk to your NM.

[JKL33]

Yes you should ask for a break. If you haven't mentioned any such thing before and your manager hasn't had the opportunity to "positively" respond to your request, then negativity really isn't warranted at this juncture although I can understand why you're "over it." S/he may say, "you know, I see your point. I hadn't realized how long you've been doing this continuously. Let's have orientee work with (so-and-so)." Allow manager the opportunity to do what is right in this situation.

Good luck!

[Libby1987]

No, do not tell her you are burned out. Give her something she can work with.

Tell her you need space in between precepting, a month, 2 months, whatever you estimate you need to re-energize in between. And then hold to it while others take their turn.