The one with the B word

My original intention when deciding to start this blog was to form a community where nurses can feel supported, learn new tips and tricks to help make the shifts easier, and to pass on my own “life and career hacks” in hopes that they might help fellow nurses achieve a more balanced life. Recently it’s dawned on me that I also just need a place where I can express my own experiences with working in healthcare for the past 10 years.

Nursing has always been a fairly difficult and stressful career but lately it’s been taking its toll on me more than usual. In the past couple of weeks I’ve likened being at work to “being waterboarded- only by people and their problems”, and being one shift closer to ending up under a psychiatric hold myself. I’ve also wondered if I have Stockholm syndrome because no sane person would keep coming back to face the same pressures, stress and abuse day in and day out with no sign of things getting better anytime soon. Suffice it to say that I am burnt out with a capital B. Damn. I tried to stave it off as best as I knew how. I changed jobs and tried new things. I educated myself on personal finance and retirement planning so I wouldn’t end up in a position where I can’t afford to retire once I reach that point. I tried to keep up with my interests outside of work by going to the gym and escaping to the mountains every chance I got. I even started going to therapy. Despite all my efforts, somewhere along the line I slipped into “autopilot” mode, letting the enormous chaotic tornado that is our healthcare system right now suck me in.

Now that I am in the eye of the storm I need to find a way out. Being the basic millennial that I am, I’ve decided to document my journey on social media and here on this blog. In the name of transparency, I’m going to admit right now that I don’t really know what I’m doing or have any specific plan on how to achieve this somewhat abstract goal. The one thing I am sure of is that I really enjoy my job and don’t want to quit it. I do hope that my story provides some entertainment, and maybe even helps others find their way out of burnout.

Check back on this website for new posts and follow me on TikTok and Instagram @savvyrnlife for more updates on my progress.