What energizes you/What saps you?

[wannabecnl]

I'm in my second semester of nursing school and have already noted the differences in how I respond to various clinical areas (beyond just my assigned tasks). Specifically, I found that being in the acute care setting on a med-surg floor energized me somewhat, visiting the OR/PACU energized me a LOT, and my current rotation in psych is sapping every bit of physical and emotional strength I have. Even though I have empathy for the patients and intellectual curiosity about their illnesses, it is taking everything I have to be there each day, and I can't wait to get back to med-surg this summer.

How about you all? Have you found areas that energize you vs. areas that take too much out of you? Do these feelings correspond with where you have chosen to practice? And is this what they mean by "disturbed energy field" in the NANDA list??? :)

Just curious...

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Yes.

I never liked Psych as a specialty on it's own.

I have enough functional-dysfunctional people and I like to see them come and then leave.

In the small amount of time I spend with them, I am of the mindset that I can't fix them, but can fix the "immediate needs" at hand.

I give them the resources they need and bid them farewell asap.

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

What energizes me? Clinicals. I like the hands on stuff. Then again, I only finished Fundamentals, and I haven't had med-surg yet. I might change my mind. What saps me? The loads of papers I have to write. Will any of the paperwork really help me when I graduate? Doubtful.

[Flo., BSN, RN]

energizes - pt's that are motiviated and have realisitic expectations, getting to really talk with my patients and finding out that one little thing that I can do that will make thier day. Yesterday I had a pt with major pain control issues, we had given her everything under the sun with no effect. After talking with her a bit I realized that she loves ice cream. So I made sure the floor was well stocked with her fav, she was so happy that she actually cried.

saps me- pts who do not expect to have pain after major surgery, complain about everything and will not do therapy. I could understand it more if this was an unexpected surgery but for the most part 99% are elective. All the paper work! I want to spend time with my pts not a computer screen!

[Work in Progress]

Energizes me: L&D, critical care, codes, anything unexpected and fast paced.

Saps me: med/surg, Mom/Baby, public health, mental health, day to day routines that never have any unknowns in them.

I guess I am a tiny bit of an adrenaline junkie... I am a nurse intern right now (NCLEX in 5 days- can you tell I am burnt out on studying) on a med/surg floor. Found one of my pts on the floor with new right sided facial drooping, r sided weakness and unstable vitals. I was completely in my element during that situation. When he was transferred to the ICU, I was kind of bummed that I had to go back to my routine. Everyone else on the floor was happy to get back to theirs... it takes all kinds.

[Poi Dog]

Happy people and happy situations energize me. Making people laugh makes me joyful.

Toxic people drain me and I will avoid a toxic person like a dog poop on the sidewalk.

[Davey Do]

I understand your feelings about working psych zapping you of energy. It usually doesn't take much effort to do the job of a psych nurse. Unless there is a crisis.

Since mental illness is a chronic disease, there's a lot of recidivism. And, recidivism is usually the result of medication noncompliance. We keep getting the same old patients with the same old problems. The cycle never really seems to end.

Many times, we feel uncomfortable around mentally ill patients. We're at a loss for words in reply to their sometimes bizarre comments and/or behavior. We maintain our own appropriate behavior as a sort of role model, in hopes that our behavior is contagious, and that psych patient will "straighten up". The energy spent on maintaining alone, can be draining. Besides administering medications, what are we nurses doing here?

One of the great things about nursing is its systematic approach. Whether it be recieving orders, administering direct care, dealing with a crisis situation, or merely monitoring a patient, there is a step by step process we follow. Considering and dealing with the variables in and of itself is a systematic process.

No matter what field of nursing we're involved in, there is a systematic approach to every thing we do. Knowing that system gives us a sense of security and allows us to enjoy the different aspects of our job. There's nothing quite as discomforting as being in a crisis situation and having no idea of how to respond.

There is a systematic approach with Behavioral Health Nursing. To be able to read a patient's behavior, have a reasonably good idea on knowing how they will react in a given situation, and to be able to reach a therapeutic means in just about any given situation is energizing to me, Wannbecn.

Thank you for asking.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I am pretty new, so my experiences are limited, but thus far I have been energized by OR, anything to do with cancer, anything to do with assisting at end of life and by the older adult/elderly patients.

Sapped would be mother/baby and drug addicts. The first one really shocks me. I thought I would enjoy that, but nope. It was dull and the time just dragged and dragged. And the drug seekers, while addicted and needy, are just difficult to tolerate with their manipulations, mostly because the more I tried to bring them relief, the more they resisted getting it in any way other than drugs. It was without reward. They almost seemed fearful that if they communicated any sense of feeling better they would not get their meds.