I've been working as a nurse at a large hospital in Houston for three years, so I've gained some experience and work hard, but lately, I feel like I'm really experiencing 'burnout'.

There are many moments when I think, "Why am I feeling this way?" and even when I drink strong coffee, my eyes are half-closed.

It turns out I'm not the only one feeling this way. Other nurses around me constantly say, "Oh, I'm exhausted."

Why do nurses experience burnout in hospitals? There are endless reasons when you break it down.

First and foremost, the biggest issue is the 'non-stop schedule'. The work schedule is like a puzzle game.

With day shifts, night shifts, and mid shifts alternating, I get confused about what time zone my body is living in.

When I wake up in the morning, I wonder, "Was today my day off?" but then I see the alarm and realize it's a 'work day' and jump out of bed.

Another factor is the 'overwhelming emotional labor'.

Patients are in pain, and their families are sensitive, which I understand, but honestly, hearing the nurse call bell dozens of times a day gives me an echo in my ears.

On top of that, I have to remember the names of my assigned patients, medication times, dosing schedules, and doctor orders, so my mind is always overloaded. Sometimes I wonder if I'm a human or a scheduling bot.

There's also nursing documentation. Nowadays, I spend more time sitting in front of a computer than with patients.

After checking a patient's condition, I immediately have to log everything into the EMR.

When a patient says, "Nurse, can you help with the IV..." I think to myself, 'I need to finish this documentation...' I want to hurry, but I only have two hands, so what can I do?

And the most relatable feeling is, 'I'm not the only one busy, so why do I feel like I'm the only one working harder?'

Even though I'm taking care of the same number of patients at the same time, why do I feel so rushed?

While I'm busy teaching the new nurse various things, my own work keeps piling up, and there are days when I just grab a glass of milk for lunch while trying to be discreet.

If someone asks me what I had for lunch, I might just say, "What did I eat again?"

That said, I don't hate this job. When a recovering patient says, "Thank you so much," it makes me forget all the hard work of the day.

Sharing a laugh with a colleague, saying, "Today was really hectic, right?" is comforting too. It's just... sometimes it can be overwhelming.

These days, everyone finds comfort on the way home with a whole chicken and a can of beer. Some days, even a drive-thru coffee gives me a boost.

Nurse burnout? It might be a natural feeling, and sometimes it could just be proof that "I'm living my life too earnestly."

If it's tough, it's okay to take a moment to pause. Just like we care for our patients, let's take care of ourselves a bit too.

That way, I can put on my uniform nicely and walk the hospital corridors again tomorrow.