pagator Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Just wondering for all you ER Vets, how do you avoid burn out? I've worked in a high volume ED for the past two years (this was my first job out of PA school. I work only minor care, with an occasional mistriage thrown in for good measure, as well as all the psych patients. when I first started I was seeing 30-40 patients per 12 hour shift. I work 14-16 12 hour shifts per month, as do all the mid levels at the facility I work at. At this point, I am exhausted. I find myself struggling just to see 24 patients in a shift. By 8 hours into my shift, all the patient's complaints are annoying me and I find myself on "auto" for the last 4 hours. I don't want to become like the vet PA's where I work, because they don't seem to care about the patient's much anymore. I've interviewed at other ED's and gotten 4 other job offers, but it seems to be bad everywhere. In some ER's the PAs are treated like servants, while the attendings sit around. In other ER's they only do fast track. Does anyone, especially the vets who still like there job, have any advice for me? Sometimes I wonder if I were to move to an ER where I saw the higher acuity patients, it would make me feel like I was making more of a difference, or would it just be more stressful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Why stay in the ER? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 22, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 22, 2012 VARIETY! I have done high volume places exclusively in the past and gotten burnt out. currently I work solo nights 14 shifts/mo at a lower volume inner city department, 3 rural shifts/mo, and 1-2 shifts at a level 1 trauma ctr. variety prevents burn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajnelson Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I agree with E. I was working full time with a part time job, and felt myself getting burned out. I now work around 8 shifts/month at one job, 4-6 at another and a few here and there at a third. The variety with each of the jobs has helped, though there are days when I still feel it (all 3 jobs are pretty busy and don't allow for much down time). Also, regular vacations, time off and activities/hobbies outside of medicine have helped as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdavis Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I have recently retired, then reentered the work force.. Went from 250-270 hrs/ mos to 120-140. SIGNIFICANT change all around I think ED folks are addicted to the jazz and the money.. Ah the money. The more you make the more you want, and the more often you find yourself sacrificing down time, family time, any where but work time, to get it. You can justify it ( as I did), by stating, "when I have saved my first million," I will cut down.. But somehow, that day never comes. Stop the madness now. Work no more than 14 shifts a month.. Preferable 10s. Enjoy your life.. You will enjoy your work more. As e said, variety is also Importent.. Variety in patient selection, and in venues. But when you start dreading work in one particular venue due to patient mix or attendings or staff.. Move on, don't work there As far as being scut boys, tere is a lot of that in the very nature of our position the essential feature of most docs is that of being lazy.. When they can get as much pay not working as they do working.. They will slough off the work to anyone who has less choice.. Who wouldn't? Turn the tables around, incentivize their pay so the more they see, the more they make.. And watch.. Pretty soon you are fighting them for patients... Especiallly the treat and street low level 3s, 4s and 5s. Work less often, work honestly ( eg do not slack on your employer's dime), and remember the patient is the one with the disease...you didn't cause it, you didn't give it to him, you are not responsible for it... And you will be significantly less dyspeptic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoClinic4Me Posted August 24, 2012 Share Posted August 24, 2012 Burning out of the ER is common. I agree with E that variety is the key. Doing it part-time instead of full time is what keeps me in it. I hated the ER full time! I work in two very different ED's; one high acuity, critical care type stuff and one smaller suburban. It's like two different worlds despite being with the same group. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator True Anomaly Posted August 24, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 24, 2012 I echo the above. Our group covers three different hospitals, all of which are very different, and we even cover multiple roles in the different hospitals- all ER-related though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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