Why Are We All Sick :( Am I thinking right?

[Toccoah]

Hi all. It seems that so, so many of us in the medical feild suffer from some form of a mental disorder. Is it the JOB? or WAS......it the job? I'm 34 and have been in the medical field my whole life. I worked in home care for 7yrs and loved it. Most of all I enjoyed the therapy sector of what i did. Physical, oc, speach, etc, etc. I decided I had wanted to become a PT, but at my age, I was not about to endure the schooling. I have a VERY upbeat, sensaitive personality and what wound up happening was, I began to take of way too many hospice cases and suddenly fell into a depression just working with geriatrics, hearing all the sad storys and the constant crankyness. I began to become very depressed and while on a case had a MAJOR PANIC ATTACK, which in turn, when I left clients house, turned into agoraphobia for a year or so. I left my job. Also, to the women who had a PA, and ran out........that is NO CAUSE for job abadoment. Unless of course you left and never called. Because that is exactly what happened with me. I than took my leave, my job was great and very supportive, but never went back.

However, 5YRS later I was excepted into the LPN program and start in two months. (Less stress and demands than our RN program) At any rate. Is it strange to say that I want so badly to be a nurse but do not want to deal with the depressive side and the patients? No one realizes how many outlests there are for Nursing if you suffer from an anxiety or panic disorder and or depression. So, I've come to the realization that I will NOT ever work in a hospital setting, nursing home setting, or home care, but rather in a medical office, plastic surgeon, medical documenting, school, or something a bit more upbeat and less depressive. I just hope that I'm doing the right thing by taking on this venture and it's something I want badly, but just really want to take it in a less stressful enviroment and something a bit more upbeat and not so depressive with death and dying. Anyone out there work in such a place?

[Babs0512]

I think it is a duel problem.

First, those of us who are "caretakers" or "fixers" in our dysfunctional environment tend to drift toward the calling of nursing. There we can be caretakers until our heart is content.

Second, once we are in the profession, we are walked all over my management. They make it very clear we are replaceable. Because we grew up with the need to please, we take their bull s*#t and our stress builds and builds. Before you know it, we are over worked, understaffed codependent nurses who give their heart and soul to "Help" our patients, with an administration whose driving force is $$. Can't win that fight.

Most of us end up depressed, with anxiety problems, PTSD or worse.

Pretty sad. Our employers to whom we turn when we are diagnosed, fight us every step of the way with regard to workmen's comp or the like.

That's my

Blesses Barb