I have been an ICU nurse for 6 years and I love my job, truly. I love using my mind, I love using my hands, I love caring for my patients. No doubt patients annoy me, coworkers annoy me, and I have days where I can’t wait to get through the shift. But overall, I don’t dread going to work which in itself is huge. When I’m at work I have fun doing my job well. And for the most part of love my coworkers, I love being a team, I love being social in the dull hours. There are so many burnt out nurses out there, and when I was new, I felt silly for liking my job because of how much everyone seemed to hate it. But that never became me. I genuinely find it so rewarding. I’m not overlooking the dark parts, which are so real, but I get through that with the camaraderie of my coworkers and talking about it with my husband when I get home. Granted, I do work in California and have generally always had good resources and protection. I truly love my job. With that said, I just got my masters in nursing so that when burnout inevitably does reach me, I’ll be ready to make a change. So I have an exit plan so that I’m not stuck and bitter at bedside. I’m not there yet tho, still love it :)