Burnng out of nursing...

1 So I have only been a nurse for 3.5 years. I have gotten experience in Hospice, which I loved. I left Hospice after working 60 hour weeks for 40 hours pay and my marriage started to suffer. Now I am back at Med-surg and I am miserable! I have been at this job for 6 months (with the company for a year). I just dropped down to a PRN position because I was so depressed about going to work I was about to have a nervous breakdown. My hubby said we could afford for me to work 2 shifts per week instead of three. Well, today I got my first paycheck and he's all the sudden said he miscalculated and doesn't think we can afford to have me working only 2 shifts. Dropping that 3rd shift has made a difference in my emotional status. I still don't like my job, but I am managing. I don't cry for a day before reporting to work; I only mope for a day. My suicidal thoughts have lessened...(I would never act on them, but I will admit to having these thoughts). I do take an anti-depressant but it's not working as well as it has in the past. My doctor is aware about my problems but is unwilling to adjust my meds as I just had a weight loss surgery less than a year ago. I am unwilling to increase my shifts again...plus I don't know if my supervisor will have the hours for me as they have already filled my position. There are hardly any openings out there right now....none in Hospice which I loved. I don't know what I am going to do and I just feel so hopeless. I am so ready to give nursing up all together but we can't afford for me to lose this type of income. Please advise.....
Have you considered working in a home care setting as a second job? I know that I am only an CNA, but I thought the home health nurses seemed to be under a lot less stress.

Your Hubby, Can he work more hours at his job while you look for another job? You should not have to suffer. I hope things work out for you.

I worked med/surg for 3 yrs and switched over to an outpatient clinic (county). First I was miserable because it was boring and the politics suck. But I got used to weekends and holidays off. I can't see myself going back. Don't know why you dislike it so much (is it the work or the work environment) but I also suggest trying home health (not hospice). There are many agencies out there. If you have medical insurance thru you hubby's job you can work per diem and you know that's the best pay. Do you have enough experience to work med/surg thru a registry? They make top dollar. You can make $800-1000 with 2 shifts. I know it's hard to break away from a place, even when we're miserable. We need the money. But you're not helping yourself or the patients you assist by staying. They jobs are out there it just takes a little digging around to find them. Hope it helps!

Can you pick up prn somewhere besides in med/surg?That is what I'm doing; working med/surg nights 24 hours/week and hopefully will be starting a prn Hospice position soon.I also struggle with depression.. it sucks, and I feel your pain. (and i also hate med/surg). Having a job which makes you miserable does not help with depression. Period.Your mental health and well-being are a top priority.Take care of yourself!! and best to you,Diane

If your bills are so much that you can not have a day a week off, your bills are too high. You might want to see a financial counselor to help you find ways to save money. This might take the pressure off of you to then relax and find something you enjoy doing. I work on a med surg floor and it is easy to dislike.

I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling this way. I believe that nursing can be a very rewarding career, but you have to find what works for you. Did you feel symptoms of depression before you started your career as a nurse? I just wondered if maybe it is the depression that is making your job/life hard to deal with or if it is the job that is making life harder to deal with. Either way it is unfortunate that you are going through this. My best advice would be to think deeply about your passions. What do you feel passionate about? Children, women's health, gereatrics... so on and so forth. The great thing about nursing is that your opportunities are wide. There are so many different areas of healthcare that you can work in. Maybe switching it up could be helpful. I have also dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts and I admire your honesty! Here is a link to a video that helped me in that time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3agIy5L4JMYHopefully that helps a little. Hang in there.

You should not have to risk your physical and mental health. I second what doubleplay suggested. Maybe have a look at your budget and see if changing your spending habits will make a difference, see a financial adviser.

I'm so sorry that you're having to discover the truth that nursing is an abusive profession....Be that as it may....GET OUT OF IT....I did by going to Clinical Nursing working for less...much happier....And by no means let hubby dictate your parameters.

if your current nursing job is depressing you i say don't you dare increase your hours there. Your personal, emotional health and well being is so much more important and a job is not worth it. I hate med-surg so i know how you feel. but as others have posted there are so many other specialties of nursing that are a lot less stressful. I would say look for a specialty that is a better fit.

You are not alone. Please take care of your emotional state, and maybe,things will not seem as bleak. I wish you the best of luck.

I would say, try and find another area of nursing to work in. I know when I first started, I was very depressed. I was a lot like you where I would cry the night and the next day (when I had off) I would mope and cry. I loved taking care of the patients, but I there were other things that just got to me. First, I did not like the fact that even though I would work so hard, sometimes I was not appreciated for all that I did. It has taken me three years as a nurse to realize that there are people you can not change and the good people will appreciate what you are doing. The people that don't appreciate you just don't really appreciate anything they have (it is not you, and you are not the reason they are there, you are trying to help them). Second, I thought that I had to do everything and everything perfectly. I realized that I go there do everything I can in the time as well as I can do it and that is all. I am not superwoman and I am not perfect, so I should stop trying to be perfect and do my best. Then, I just could not take the cattyness of some of my coworkers. I learned to not care what they say and think and to remember that they do not define me and neither does my job, I have a life outside of work and a family that loves me and they are more important. I also could not stand that everything always falls on the nurse. Again, I realized that I will just do the best I can with what I am given. I decided to switch from med/surg to the ICU and I will tell you that I like it better and am happier. I know it is a stressful place to work, but I only have two patients the most and can do everything for them. I also set a goal to go back to school for my masters. I think that goal is what is driving me to be happier. Sometimes goals will do that for you. I am not saying to go work in the ICU. Maybe try to work in the radiology department if that suits you. Maybe something outside of the hospital will even make you happy; such as a clinic or school nursing (I am saying to try and find your fit in nursing.) Set yourself some goals, so that you can be happy when you achieve them. Maybe, you can go back to school. Finally, remember that your job does not define you. You are a person beyond your job and you are more important than the job, so take care of yourself first.

Quote from questionsforallI would say, try and find another area of nursing to work in. I know when I first started, I was very depressed. I was a lot like you where I would cry the night and the next day (when I had off) I would mope and cry. I loved taking care of the patients, but I there were other things that just got to me. First, I did not like the fact that even though I would work so hard, sometimes I was not appreciated for all that I did. It has taken me three years as a nurse to realize that there are people you can not change and the good people will appreciate what you are doing. The people that don't appreciate you just don't really appreciate anything they have (it is not you, and you are not the reason they are there, you are trying to help them). Second, I thought that I had to do everything and everything perfectly. I realized that I go there do everything I can in the time as well as I can do it and that is all. I am not superwoman and I am not perfect, so I should stop trying to be perfect and do my best. Then, I just could not take the cattyness of some of my coworkers. I learned to not care what they say and think and to remember that they do not define me and neither does my job, I have a life outside of work and a family that loves me and they are more important. I also could not stand that everything always falls on the nurse. Again, I realized that I will just do the best I can with what I am given. I decided to switch from med/surg to the ICU and I will tell you that I like it better and am happier. I know it is a stressful place to work, but I only have two patients the most and can do everything for them. I also set a goal to go back to school for my masters. I think that goal is what is driving me to be happier. Sometimes goals will do that for you. I am not saying to go work in the ICU. Maybe try to work in the radiology department if that suits you. Maybe something outside of the hospital will even make you happy; such as a clinic or school nursing (I am saying to try and find your fit in nursing.) Set yourself some goals, so that you can be happy when you achieve them. Maybe, you can go back to school. Finally, remember that your job does not define you. You are a person beyond your job and you are more important than the job, so take care of yourself first.