Stress leaves a reconsideration of career

[FthTrstNPxiDst]

Hi all,

I have been an LVN for almost 4 years now and currently working with the same PA in a Primary Care office for 3 1/2 years. As we all know, there are good days as well as bad days associated with the work that we do. I have been finding myself getting overwhelmed and stressed out with the type of patients that I come in contact with (chronic pain, major psychological disorders, etc). These feelings I have leave me feeling guilty about my job as a nurse and I don't know if this is normal for me to feel this way about what I do? I used to feel like my career was rewarding but these days, I don't even know if I want to go back to school for my RN because my inner feelings of negativity and cynical thoughts have left me wondering if I should change careers. I am usually a very positive and bubbly person, but when it comes down to thinking about starting anti-anxiety meds just to get myself through the day, thats a major problem for me. Any thoughts?

[Fiona59]

Some will come and tell you to find a different job and the world will be rosy. It might be and it might not be.

I went through a period of having my patients die on me on the unit I worked on. Turns out the Manager thought I handled palliative patients well, so I kept getting them. It put me through the wringer. I moved to another unit, similar specialty but with only the very rare death. Now, I'm appalled at the sense of entitlement of some of my patients and the utter neediness.

I'm older than you and have maybe a decade to retirement. I don't want to retrain for another job. I had a major health crisis last year which resulted in a lot of sick leave and time to think. I decided that I like nursing, I like my job BUT as a part time nurse, I had a life in other areas. I've cut back on the number of extra shifts I'm willing to come in for to "help out the unit".

You have to sit down and decide if you want to invest in going back to uni for your degree. Decide what you enjoy, what you might not. Try a job change and if you still feel this way, walk away.

You are not defined by your job and choices you made 5 or more years ago.

[FthTrstNPxiDst]

Thank you for your input. That was very helpful. Luckily, a new job is on the horizon as I do have plans on relocating this summer. I don't want to get too ahead of myself and decide to quit nursing too soon so I will wait it out and see how the new job goes. Your are right to say that me as a person am not defined by my professional role. It's easy to say to myself "Well, this is what I went to school for and why I'm still paying off student loans, so might as well get my money's worth." I am in a position where I can walk away from this career if I really wanted to and I am very thankful to have that freedom.