As many as 34 percent of hospital nurses and 37 percent of nursing home nurses report feeling burned out. Burnout for nurse aides and CNAs is also very high, leading to turnover of around 43 percent. For someone that works in the healthcare industry, its important to take the steps to prevent burnout before you start suffering its effects such as chronic fatigue, feeling of apathy, physical illness, etc. We’ve compiled some of the most effective ways for eliminating nurse burnout, that you can implement into your everyday routine.
Speak Up
In nursing, there is a lot of pressure to pick up extra shifts or to work additional hours. From time to time, this is okay. What’s wrong with a little extra money in your pocket? However, constantly overworking yourself is one of the biggest cause of nurse burnout. When you really don’t feel like working overtime, say something. You’ll be glad that you did once you’re able to get a few, much needed, extra hours of sleep.
Enjoy the Little Things
It’s easy to get lost in the minutiae of your day to day routine. Find some little things to find joy in throughout the day. Maybe it’s listening to your favorite songs on the way to work, or enjoying the weather while walking into your facility.
Make Time
If you don’t reserve time to do the things that you want to do, then other people and activities will take over your time. Remind yourself that this is your life that you’re living and that you deserve to set aside time to do the things that you’ve always wanted to do, but never have gotten around to it.
Practice Self Care
You spend the entirety of your profession caring for others. Now its time to make it a goal to set aside time for self care on the daily. There are many ways that you can practice self care from giving yourself a spa day, to doing a yoga class, to learning a new hobby. Whatever refuels your energy, make time to do it!
Have a Reminder
What initially sparked your interest for being a nurse? Who was one of your most memorable mentors? What was one of your biggest impact on a patient or resident? Find a token that represents these moments to hold with you every day so that you can remember these moments. These are the moments that will spark your passion and remind you to keep going.
Find an Outlet
Hobbies and interests act as a getaway from daily hardships. One or two days a week, reserve some time to do the hobby that takes your mind off of things. You’ll wake up the next day feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Make Healthy Choices
How you maintain and nurture your health can have a big impact on your stamina. Poor health leads to getting burned out faster and for longer periods of time. Once you start making healthy choices, you’ll feel way more energized and have the ability to take on those long and stressful shifts.
Work Per Diem
Working per diem allows you to be in charge of your schedule. Work the shifts you want, at the facilities you want. Having a flexible schedule is extremely valuable to those in the healthcare industry, because it’s something that’s not always an option when working full-time. Work per diem and take control of your work-life balance.
Nurse burnout has a serious impact on nurse turnover, patient satisfaction, and the quality of patient care. As a whole, those in the industry should take more steps to actively avoid burnout. This way, we can maintain our passion for caring for patients and residents, while providing a safer experience for everyone involved.
