How are experienced emergency RN's dealing with burnout? Am I the only one thinking it's time for a career change? What are ppl's thoughts on Informatics?
After being in trauma, ED, ICU, flight over the past 29 years, I avoid burn out by knowing when to say "NO".
My time off is mine, I have very physical hobbies, and a travel for races. I work to support my lifestyle, I do not live to work.
Been there, especially working through COVID and after. If you are having the same issue I had, as in, not wanting to leave the adrenaline rush that the ER has to offer. Do ER as a part-time or PRN, find yourself a same-day surgery gig. It’s cake. OR, do a free-standing ER gig, less stressful and the “teamwork makes the dream work”.
Another option, maybe move out of the area that you are living. Hospital systems are different in each state or across the state your living in.
If neither are your options, never worked in informatics before but had worked along side others who assisted in informatics for MaB infusions during COVID. There job is to simplify within the policies of the healthcare system while providing quality, cost-effective, appropriate care within the nursing realm. It sounded like a good gig but can’t get away from the adrenaline rush.
Hope this helps but just remember, the opportunities for all of us as an RN, are endless. 🤙
I can’t speak to the ER burnout or what some people call moral injury, but I’m not a huge fan of the general informatics career move unless they allow you to design and build in the EMR/EHR.
If you think that meetings and projects all day are okay, then I would go for it if you can. To me, it’s just being the middle person or advocate for IT and Clinical subject matter experts with no real power or authority to get things done. I found no personal joy in the career move. Now, I do clinical RN jobs per diem and IT EMR stuff as a contract. I get the best of both worlds, but not too much to create that burnout feeling. Good luck!
After 12 years as an RN in the ER, including Trauma, I was burned out. I was also an Army Reserve nurse. A 9 month deployement to Afghanistan sealed it for me. I was fried. I decided to shift gears, go back to school, and became an FNP. I am now working in Urgent Care. Its an entirely new challenge. Ive been an NP for three years now. I still struggle some days, but I am learning daily to adjust fire. For me, now, Ive come to learn a lot of the daily challenge boils down to my own attitude. I cant control the sressors, but what I can do is control how I personally react to them. Some days I win, some days I lose. I recognize and relish the wins, but I am also learning from the days in which I lose. Attitude is a big factor.
I suspect shifting gears to something such as informatics will be an equally new and likely welcomed challenge. Having been there, Id highly recommend a shift in both roles and perspective. Change roles, whatever it is. Once you recognize burn out, get out of the ER.
It’s not just RNs that deal with burn out. I’m an experienced LPN have worked every aspect in hospital except surgery in my many years at a major hospital. But on to your question. I have to take a couple months off about every 10 years or so. I’ve known others that do this every 5. If you truly love nursing, don’t feel bad about taking care of yourself. We have to take time for ourselves to be able to do what we do.
When I was feeling some severe burn out from Covid, I found switching from a hospital setting to an Urgent care for a year did wonders!
I changed from bedside to Utilization Review/Case Management. The mentality change from clinical to office is REAL. Coworkers kept reminding me - if you make a mistake, nobody dies! It was a real shocker concept. The mental change was the toughest. Walking in the halls, hearing a bed alarm and stopping myself from running to prevent a fall! I'm not even ALLOWED to do that! Also a weird feeling with a physical reaction, but it wears off.
I love that I can see a bigger picture of the population I serve. Instead of seeing 6-8+ patients per shift, I review charts of 20-60. It is FASCINATING! Also kind of depressing, but have to get in the right headspace and remember the hospital is where people go when bad sick.
I got a year of experience and am about to start a job where I can work at home. I am self motivated, so it's not a problem for me. No commute? No shoes? Yes please! Eventually I want to find good camping spots so I can also go places and work from my RV!
It is normal and nursing informatics would be a great change and challenge. Just make sure you are ready to give up direct patient contact and to be sitting majority of your work day. Have a plan on breaks to go for a walk, etc.
informatics is the future, and you can be a part in designing some kind of flow sheet that actually helps us at the bedside. I am so done with charting it makes me want to go on strike. so, informatics i see a great future in but the pay sucks I heard :(
I had a full storybook on this but --- is it burnout or a variant PTSD. I have been out of trauma for 20 years now and am thinking the prior 20 years of ER/TRAUM/ICU left PTSD scars.
I later worked in hospital IT - led and entire hospital clinical system install, and put all the policies in place. Then named it informatics. I later taught informatics. at the university level. It has it's own set of challenges and stresses but you are not hyper alert waiting to see if the belting stopped or the knife wound exsanguinating.
There are many nursing courses available in person or online these days. Back in the day I was self taught and OJT learning while leading the hospitals process including the web presence. Getting nursing staff on board back then was interesting.....it is fun and aggravating just like any nursing job except you "patient" is your fellow nurse.
Well, the first thing to do is put your mental health FIRST. Take more walks in nature, work out in the gym and detox from all social media, negative, family and work drama if that is possible. Also, if this interests you, go see someone who practices in Reiki that can rid yourself of alot of negative energy. ER is stressful, but I like it because it keeps me on top of my toes and, in good shape (no lunch breaks anyone, lots of walking, LOL).
Seriously, there is a way to balance yourself without giving up that ED gig. Good luck!
No, burnout is real. I deal with it by taking trips away almost monthly to be able to return to the er. You got a plan to vet away from bedside? I'm listening.
Burn out is real for any type of specialty/nursing in general. Took me awhile to be satisfied without emergent/ critical direct patient care. I have been out of it for 10 years and never want to go back. I think nursing informatics would be great or anything else that you may like/have passion for. Go for it!!
RN's payroll increases, it's normal to be nervous, and it is easier to do services via online patient portals from consumer business computing services
My point of view is to knowthe time of work and the time of taking rest.
For career change change? .....Yes
I want to relocate and to see something different
Build up my career and advance
The thought of informatics is to be be wise and Smart . To be able to think fast and know what to do first to serve Life.
When you are burnout you need to report to your supervisor so you can be given a more hands for support.Or you should be given some days off.
Being burn out it is RED SIGN for any RN , ER is a very fast , quick job to do and responsibility to fallow orders for many patients , especially in time of
Crisis …it is good to move on into areas like Critical
Care, Ambulatory Surgery, PACU , Labor and Delivery , Emergency Room experience play a good role in those areas .it is also a great thing to taste and see where is your favorite place to achieve the best of Nursing Profesión in caring for people lives ,
Your experience in the ER has a great value in Your
Continuing nursing carer …
If you are a seasoned nurse, there's no way you gonna feel burnout...your body and mind adapts. Why do you feel burnout when you are doing the same thing every shift for the past 10-15 years? You dont LOVE what you are doing if you feel that way. NURSING is all about passion and caring.
