Too much work, too little play

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Ever feel stretched so thin it makes you wish you never got into healthcare in any form? I'm about spent here.... a rural hospital with the only doc on vacation so I'm it for the ER/hospital/LTCU and clinic and literally people all around me waiting to take a piece of me all day and that's not counting any of the patients!!! Trying to juggle trauma patients/cardiacs while running back between xrays to the clinic to try to see 3 or 4 more patients while the phone is ringing needing instructions on INR results, panic values, order clarifications on the new RSV infant admission, or the ****** off inpatient that can't understand why we can't do a HIDA scan before an ultrasound, or the call me in the middle of the night every night to come in and see whatever in the ER... AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I wish I would've become an engineer...:bugeyes:

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

You do this all on your own??? No back-up physician? Sounds insane. Can you find another job?? Do you live in a state where there is independent practice? In IL, if you are collaborating with only one MD and that MD goes on vacation, there must be another MD that will provide your colloaborative support.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

I can relate to a degree. But, only when I do 24 hour ED call. Am responsible for the ED and other areas of the hospital during late evenings/night, but I do have backup physician consulation, a surgeon, and never left on my own w/o this backup. Couldn't/wouldn't do it w/o proper backup.

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Specializes in ICU.

I can only compare my life to yours because I'm working FT and in school FT. Between work, classes, homework, and clinicals... I'm about 3 inches away from insanity.

Here's hoping you find a nice middle ground for your job. It sounds terribly hectic.

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I can only compare my life to yours because I'm working FT and in school FT. Between work, classes, homework, and clinicals... I'm about 3 inches away from insanity.

Here's hoping you find a nice middle ground for your job. It sounds terribly hectic.

I did the same thing. I know how you feel. Hang in there. There are good days and bad. I was getting super stressed and super tired and vented a bit. It's not that bad some days. You will always have the experience that you are going through now to look back on and compare lifes tough times to, which helps. You'll have bad times in some form in the future, and you can say, "this sucks, but not as bad as when I was in school and I worked full time and......".

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You do this all on your own??? No back-up physician? Sounds insane. Can you find another job?? Do you live in a state where there is independent practice? In IL, if you are collaborating with only one MD and that MD goes on vacation, there must be another MD that will provide your colloaborative support.

I could, and have a really good offer, but I'm making too much money now to change. I was having a really bad group of days and venting a bit. There are positives, like the fact that since there is no doc backup I have to learn everything and it's helping me become really good at what I do.

Then again, my buddy NP is pulling down around $300K/yr in his own business niche and he wants me to join him for the same $$$.... hard to turn that down!!! We'll see...

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I can relate to a degree. But, only when I do 24 hour ED call. Am responsible for the ED and other areas of the hospital during late evenings/night, but I do have backup physician consulation, a surgeon, and never left on my own w/o this backup. Couldn't/wouldn't do it w/o proper backup.

I think it's the 24 hr ED/hosp call that breaks this camel's back. It's frustrating and sleep depriving. I have to do around 25% of the call. Doesn't sound like much, but it feels like a lot.

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

Wow!! ur friend is during really good for him/herself... what type of business? I guess it really does pay to go to NP school

I could, and have a really good offer, but I'm making too much money now to change. I was having a really bad group of days and venting a bit. There are positives, like the fact that since there is no doc backup I have to learn everything and it's helping me become really good at what I do.

Then again, my buddy NP is pulling down around $300K/yr in his own business niche and he wants me to join him for the same $$$.... hard to turn that down!!! We'll see...

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