Sitting here dreading my shift tonight

LaughingRN · Jan 8, 2011

There is probably not much that anyone can say to make you want to go to work or make everything better...

The real art here is separating work from home. Work can be horrible, so give yourself the drive home (with loud music if you are like me) to think about things, rehash situations, be angry and sad....then walk in your door and forget it.

You can't change anything from home. You can only replay situations until you, yourself, over-analyze until you puke.

You are not being paid overtime to critically think all night, so don't. With a clear head at the beginning of the shift, you will either decide to stay or leave.

You can't change people, only yourself:hug:

ERNurseRN5316 · Jan 9, 2011

I'm in the same boat. I DREAD my shift tomorrow. I cannot keep up sometimes and I feel bad for the pts and I'm tired of feeling inadequate and incompetent. I've been on my job in the ER for 3 months. I finished orientation 3 weeks ago and I've been miserable ever since. I can cover 6 pts ok but when it gets to 7 or 8 and one is DKA another the pump will NOT stop beeping I have 3 that need labs (and why am I so bad at blood draws?) I am lost and overwhelmed. But every one else handles it no problem. I wish I had worked as a tech or an aide before. I have zero experience before this job and I am paying the price. I don't know if I can keep this up. I feel like such a loser

Guest717236 · Jan 9, 2011

I'm in the same boat. I DREAD my shift tomorrow. I cannot keep up sometimes and I feel bad for the pts and I'm tired of feeling inadequate and incompetent. I don't know if I can keep this up. I feel like such a loser

The issue here to me is the way nursing, nursing acuity has changed. Nursing was never easy

and heaven knows I felt the same way starting out. But, today it appears patient care is

last, or not on the list. Now nurses are demanded to do a Roller Derby approach to care,

how fast can you go, not fast enough, go faster...... It makes for terrible situation if you

are short staffed as well. LaughingNurse above gives the best advice, separate work from home.

At work speak up if an assignment is too top heavy. If you make an error, it will be yours and

administration will not care about your assignment.

This is the sad part in nursing, losing good people before they get the experience and adequate staffing they need to be the caregivers they are meant to be...

Start checking out other opportunities, if it gets too bad you will have an escape plan. You are not a loser, the health care system is.

SweetheartRN · Jan 9, 2011

I am a new grad still looking for my firpst job. This is very depressing to know it can be this way. I got a glimpse into reality during clinicals of how some days would be--ie. nursing isn't a particularly glamorous profession but still...all I can say is I hope things get better for the both of you. Its never fun going to work when you absolutely dread it. The economy has definitely had its affect on nursing because you are not ]able to have the flexibility nurses once did to move to another job just like that to see if you like it better.

BettyBoop01 · Jan 9, 2011

update: It ended up being a smooth shift! It was crazy busy and understaffed, but I had some patients that actually slept all night! I needed a good night, I needed it bad!

We can do this!!! I am really trying to stick it out at this place until I feel more comfortable but I also have 2 interviews this week, and that is keeping me going!

Thanks for the support, I really needed it last night. My family doesnt understand the stress!

kakykeke · Jan 10, 2011

Im glad your night went better. You need to keep things in perspective. We will have nights/days that are horrible but most of the time its few of them and hopefully far between.

I think the peer that yelled at you, I feel is unacceptable and you should have a private conversation about their behavior. It isnt professional to behave like that and certainly not in front of patients.

good luck!

ERNurseRN5316 · Jan 10, 2011

Thanks jahra - I needed those encouraging words. Last night was good! I got put in urgent care instead of Main 1 where I am normally. It was great to deal with 4 and 5 acuity instead of all 1, 2 and 3's!! I had the time to do some excellent education and felt in control all night. B/c I wasn't so terrified my pts. were going to crash on me - I had some brain left over to refine my technique and pick up some speed. I think I'm going to ask to be assigned to UC more often or at least Main 2.

MJB2010 · Jan 12, 2011

I know that feeling of dread!!!! I am sitting here dreading my next shift and its 2 days away! The pressure, stress, and anxiety is going to break me I am not sure I can handle this. I wish I could skip the first few months of nursing and get to the part where I feel less incompetent all the time.

llltapp · Jan 15, 2011

I'm in the same boat. I DREAD my shift tomorrow. I cannot keep up sometimes and I feel bad for the pts and I'm tired of feeling inadequate and incompetent. I've been on my job in the ER for 3 months. I finished orientation 3 weeks ago and I've been miserable ever since. I can cover 6 pts ok but when it gets to 7 or 8 and one is DKA another the pump will NOT stop beeping I have 3 that need labs (and why am I so bad at blood draws?) I am lost and overwhelmed. But every one else handles it no problem. I wish I had worked as a tech or an aide before. I have zero experience before this job and I am paying the price. I don't know if I can keep this up. I feel like such a loser

I don't know where you work, but I am a seasoned ER nurse and our ratio was 4 to 1. If we get a critical, they TRY to put us 1:1 with that patient and get the float nurses to cover my others. You need to run if you are regularly getting more than 4 and maybe a hall patient.... especially at your level. One thing that may help you, is that you must ALWAYS keep saying to yourself...... "triage this patient load, who is the next one likely to die if I don't see them next?" focus on the task at hand, nobody ever died of beeping IVABT pump, or the sandwich seeker needing to pee-the bladder will empty and the worst that can happen is you have a wet floor to clean up later..... in other words keep things in perspective and BREATHE! :)