Soo tired of bedside...

[Grobyc82]

It has been 10 years since I graduated nursing school and have been working at the bedside in a hospital setting. Needless to say, bedside nurses experience burnout on all different levels, emotionally, spiritually, and physically! I'd say that I love my job and love helping patients and families in times of great need. Its perhaps the purest form of helping people in an occupation which is why I was drawn to nursing in the first place. However, while doing this for 10 years, it becomes so draining when having to deal with staffing issues, micromanaging, pressing demands from hospital administrators, as well as workplace violence from patients. I feel at a crossroads where I know staying in the hospital will eventually eat at me alive the way things are going. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have guys have similar views? Did you feel bedside is for you anymore?

[mejsp]

I am listening to a book at present, recommended by my brother, a life coach. It is called Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day. The author is Todd Henry. Consider reading or listening to it. It is helpful and motivational.

Your message sounds perfectly normal to me. I had a wonderful experience at a hospital for nine years, but when I no longer looked forward to walking through the doors and couldn't celebrate the renovation process, I knew it was time to move on.

Is there a career ladder at your institution? Can you change departments, obtain another degree or pursue a new speciality? Education can be an excellent way to rekindle your enthusiasm. The best part of class for me was hanging out with other ambitious, veteran nurses. Their stories and experiences were often more valuable than the instructor's.

Your comment about spirituality resonates with me. Nursing is a calling. I took ownership of my patients as soon as I took report. It sounds sappy, but what I felt for them was a form of love, I wanted the best for them. We are taught to love God first. The second commandment is to love our neighbor. The person in the gown was my neighbor.

Don't feel guilty. You've proven your stick-to-it-if-ness. Your resume will reveal this. Your new employer will want the next decade of your life. You are a veteran with experience. Get out there, and find the job that will put a smile back on your face.