Go from burnout to recharged & energized

[Birdstrike]

If the lack of control in the ED, the unfairness & unrealistic expectations by administration, and the chaotic circadian rhythm disruption has depressed your attitude, self confidence and hope for the future and burned you out, I'm here to tell you, there is a better way. Maybe it's a new EM job, or simply cutting work hours. Maybe for someone else, it's another residency, a fellowship, leaving Medicine altogether or something entirely different. What it is for any specific individual, I can't say in any one post. But what I do know, is that if you find yourself in this state, there is a better way. You are not a martyr. And you can find the better way. You will find it. You just have to shake of the rust, and do it. You must commit.

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[miacomet]

I hope so. Hard for those of us not interested in palli, pain, sports or CCM.

 

[Mad Jack]

For everyone else, there's Adderall

 

[GonnaBeADoc2222]

And beer

 

[miacomet]

Exactly. EM is unhealthy and not so great for the soul...

 

[GonnaBeADoc2222]

meh. everything in moderation, I say. work, play, beer, etc.

I like working 11 days a month, playing with my dog, seeing my wife and family, playing video games, going on nice long vacations 3x / year...

 

[WilcoWorld]

Exactly. EM is unhealthy and not so great for the soul...

Not exactly.

EM can be bad for your mental health, but I've found that it can also be good for my happiness.

When you're over worked in a malignant environment, it sucks. But that's true of any job.

When I'm rested & working in a functional system, EM is one of the coolest jobs in the world.

 

[WilcoWorld]

I hope so. Hard for those of us not interested in palli, pain, sports or CCM.

@Birdstrike never claimed that it's easy to be happy.

 

[mymembernames]

...

 

[Angry Birds]

Happiness = Salary / (Volume + Acuity + Clinical Hours)

 

[GonnaBeADoc2222]

I would change the acuity term to "1 - acuity."

I'm fine with acuity. I like acuity. I know what to do with acuity.

I'd much rather have a bad trauma at 3am that I have to chest tube, intubate, cordis than 5 drug seekers / psych / URI or obvious MSK pain that didn't take OTCs / "everything hurts" or "everything is numb."

 

[namethatsmell]

I'd much rather have a bad trauma at 3am that I have to chest tube, intubate, cordis than 5 drug seekers / psych / URI or obvious MSK pain that didn't take OTCs / "everything hurts" or "everything is numb."

I’d wager that burnout rates would go down one or two percent if the words “numb” and “dizzy” weren’t allowed to be uttered in EDs.



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[Hercules]

Happiness = Salary / (Volume + Acuity + Clinical Hours)

I would add a multiplier in the denominator for control over your environment. Not having the ability to fix the things that aren’t working would decrease my happiness. Conversely, the ability to quickly adjust and fix processes adds to my happiness.


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[shoal007]

I’d wager that burnout rates would go down one or two percent if the words “numb” and “dizzy” weren’t allowed to be uttered in EDs.



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Or weak.

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[Birdstrike]

Administrators, ED directors, patients, and insurance companies will not ensure your happiness or job satisfaction.

Only you can and will do that. You are the most uniquely qualified person, to do so.

 

[BAM!]

If the lack of control in the ED, the unfairness & unrealistic expectations by administration, and the chaotic circadian rhythm disruption has depressed your attitude, self confidence and hope for the future and burned you out, I'm here to tell you, there is a better way. Maybe it's a new EM job, or simply cutting work hours. Maybe for someone else, it's another residency, a fellowship, leaving Medicine altogether or something entirely different. What it is for any specific individual, I can't say in any one post. But what I do know, is that if you find yourself in this state, there is a better way. You are not a martyr. And you can find the better way. You will find it. You just have to shake of the rust, and do it. You must commit.

for me it was a new EM job. less acuity, fewer patients, good group, decent pay, somewhat flexible schedule = happier me!
that said, at times it's still gonna be stressful no matter what.

 

[bravotwozero]

Move to within a 5-10 mile radius of your work, ditch the car and bike it. Instead of crawling through freeway traffic, you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing bike ride. I look forward to my shift days, especially in the morning when it’s dark and quiet.


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[gutonc]

Move to within a 5-10 mile radius of your work, ditch the car and bike it. Instead of crawling through freeway traffic, you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing bike ride. I look forward to my shift days, especially in the morning when it’s dark and quiet.

I've been preaching this for almost as long as I've been on SDN. Most people think I'm insane.

 

[bravotwozero]

LOL yeah i'm known as the weirdo doc who bikes to work...you should hear the comments..'you bike here....like a PEDAL BIKE?!'

 

[Arcan57]

LOL yeah i'm known as the weirdo doc who bikes to work...you should hear the comments..'you bike here....like a PEDAL BIKE?!'

I recently swapped from a 25-40 min commute to being 6 blocks from the hospital. While it’s greatly decreased my podcast consumption, biking to (and even more so from) work is awesome. Instead of trying to drive home dead tired from a 5a-3 or 6a-4 shift (waking up while doing 65 on the freeway is no fun), I’m energized and come home ready to play with the kids. I lost about 1000 sqft of house and 7000 sqft of yard when I moved but it’s been so worth it.

Birdstrike’s point is worth considering and it doesn’t have to be following his example of leaving EM. Commute times, shifts per month, acuity mix, are all adjustable. If what you’re currently doing isn’t working for you, you have a lot more choice and ability to change things up then you think. Figure out what’s important to you and you’ll be surprised what you have in your life that you don’t need and keeps you tied down.

 

[WilcoWorld]

Move to within a 5-10 mile radius of your work, ditch the car and bike it. Instead of crawling through freeway traffic, you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing bike ride. I look forward to my shift days, especially in the morning when it’s dark and quiet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've been preaching this for almost as long as I've been on SDN. Most people think I'm insane.

LOL yeah i'm known as the weirdo doc who bikes to work...you should hear the comments..'you bike here....like a PEDAL BIKE?!'

I recently swapped from a 25-40 min commute to being 6 blocks from the hospital. While it’s greatly decreased my podcast consumption, biking to (and even more so from) work is awesome. Instead of trying to drive home dead tired from a 5a-3 or 6a-4 shift (waking up while doing 65 on the freeway is no fun), I’m energized and come home ready to play with the kids. I lost about 1000 sqft of house and 7000 sqft of yard when I moved but it’s been so worth it.

Birdstrike’s point is worth considering and it doesn’t have to be following his example of leaving EM. Commute times, shifts per month, acuity mix, are all adjustable. If what you’re currently doing isn’t working for you, you have a lot more choice and ability to change things up then you think. Figure out what’s important to you and you’ll be surprised what you have in your life that you don’t need and keeps you tied down.

I'm with you - I walk or bike to work and it makes a huge difference.

There's even empirical evidence on your side:

Happiness and Satisfaction with Work Commute

 

[gutonc]

I'm with you - I walk or bike to work and it makes a huge difference.

There's even empirical evidence on your side:

Happiness and Satisfaction with Work Commute

I happen to work somewhere that will actually compensate you financially (minimally...but still) for commuting by bike, foot or mass transit. And this is available to everyone, housekeeping to hospital CEO (and I know that the CFO actually does bike commute). And if you participate in the program, they'll pay for up to 4 "after hours/emergency" Lyft rides home each year.

And I am definitely a much happier person on the days I bike to work.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

What do you walker/biker to work folks do during the summer? I live close enough that I could but don't much like the idea of getting to work sweaty from April-October.

 

[bravotwozero]

I'm planning on just showering at work before my shift. The shower handle was broken in the ED sleep room bathroom, and I got admin to fix it. I also have a rack with pannier bags on my bike, and I change into scrubs from my underarmour shirt/track pants.

 

[gutonc]

What do you walker/biker to work folks do during the summer? I live close enough that I could but don't much like the idea of getting to work sweaty from April-October.

I've been biking to work/school year-round in St. Louis, NYC and the Pacific NW for >20 years. When it's hot out I change at work. Typically don't need to shower, but I could if necessary.

 

[miacomet]

What do you walker/biker to work folks do during the summer? I live close enough that I could but don't much like the idea of getting to work sweaty from April-October.

If you live in Houston, OK, but this doesn't seem to be a huge issue in the most of the country. I just leave several pairs of scrubs at work for the week.

Also, I'm not sure why you assume everywhere is hot for that long. Ick. I wouldn't live there.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

If you live in Houston, OK, but this doesn't seem to be a huge issue in the most of the country. I just leave several pairs of scrubs at work for the week.

Also, I'm not sure why you assume everywhere is hot for that long. Ick. I wouldn't live there.

That would be why I specified summer as the majority of the country lives in places that get hot in the summer even if only briefly.

The length of my hot season was specific to me which is why that was a separate sentence.