RN, BSN
Ahh. Such a common topic that seems to be constantly haunting nurses is nursing burnout. Medical professionals have always been on the top of the list for decades.
Now with the coronavirus these past two years, nurses have been more burnt out than ever with short staffing, unsafe ratios, and increasing acuity.
Symptoms of nursing burnout could be inability to focus, difficulty solving problems, apathy, increased frustration, difficulty falling asleep, headaches, abuse of substances, increased risk-taking behaviors.
Burnout in nurses is mainly caused by the consequence of constant high stress levels in the workplace. According to a survey, over 34% of nurses rated their emotional health as not, or not at all, emotionally healthy.
In a study by the American Nurses Foundation in 2021, most nurses surveyed said they have felt stressed (75%), frustrated (69%), and overwhelmed (62%).
Some impacts of nurse burnout are lower patient satisfaction, higher patient mortality risk, and more infections in patients according to American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine (2020).
It is estimated that 70% of nurses will not be working by the year of due to nursing burnout. This is a concerning statistic, as burnout causes them to leave the workforce, leading to staffing issues and leads to the remaining nurses feeling overwhelmed and… burnt.
It is a vicious cycle that keeps on repeating itself. While nursing burnout cannot be fully eliminated, we can take steps to reduce our fatigue and help our patient care.
Trust me, the most important thing you can do for your nursing career is setting boundaries. You are not obligated to work on your days off. Even is the department manager or the charge nurse calls you and asks you to pick you up, you are not obligated to go in.
If you are mentally and/or physically tired, do not pick up. Take a self-care day. Tell them that you are unable to pick up. You are not obligated to give them a reason why you’re not picking up or coming into work.
When you leave your shift for the day or night, leave any frustrations, thoughts, and feelings at your workplace and try not to bring them home. Try to focus your attention to your family and friends when you are not at work. Your family will thank you too.
I know this is debatable as some facilities allow you to cash out your paid time off (PTO) and that extra cash each year looks good. However, you can use your PTO not only for sick days, but for vacation, a self-care day, or even a rest day.
A change of scenery may help you relax, but also staying in your humble abode is perfectly fine too.
Find or do something you are passionate about.
Work is not your identity. Even if you are passionate about nursing, find something else that brings you joy.
Hiking, painting, dancing, cooking, whatever suits you! It is always a good feeling when you have something to look forward to on your days off. Taking the time to do things that bring you joy will lead to higher satisfaction in life. The days at work are more enjoyable too!
If you are struggling, get additional help.
Most hospitals and/or travel nurse agencies have professional EAP services/virtual counseling provided at no additional cost to you.
The services are super helpful as they know what is going on in the department and can give you additional resources if need be.
Side note: There are also options to have work buddy systems or peer support groups, which helps you vent and discuss frustrations and other issues in the department that you or others may be noticing.
Most importantly, stress, emotional exhaustion, and feeling apathetic may lead to more serious issues in the long term. Please seek help if you are experiencing symptoms of depression.
As this will not solve all problems, it will at least make you have more “better” days than “worse” days. Not only your workplace, but your daily life. Take care of yourself. Show some self-love. Be present and mindful. Say no to the things that do not matter in your life, and yes to the things that do. Advocate for yourself to have a balanced and healthy life.
A nurse to a nurse. Stay strong.
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