Nursing profession is driven by a desire to care for others though this profession is rewarding but is extremely exhausting. Every nurse is at a substantial risk of experiencing nurse burnout, this is a serious issue facing healthcare industry but it can be prevented.
What Exactly is a Nurse Burnout?
Studies reveal that a nurse's level of burnout is directly correlated to lower patient satisfaction. Nurse burnout can be defined as a feeling of prolonged sickness, stress, and fatigue accompanied with unhappiness. Moreover, external factors like time limitation, challenging shifts, physical and emotional demands results in an extremely stressful environment which can affect an individual's performance at work and their mental stability.
Here are Few Symptoms of Burnout -
- Prolonged sleeping disorder and eating difficulty
- Experiencing high anxiety
- Suffering from physical ailments like chronic pains and restlessness
- A feeling of emotional numbness
- Developing an indifferent attitude towards relationships
- Withdrawn from job Responsibilities
- Feeling burdened & trapped by job responsibilities
- Feeling physically and mentally drained
- Lack of professional enthusiasm
Once you find these signs, the first step to heal the burnout is stop it an early stage by preventing the buildup of stress. Here are some tips to overcome burnout:
- Regular Breaks - Working ceaselessly throughout the day can be exhausting. Taking small breaks in between is essential as it refuels the body and mind.
- Maintaining a work/life balance - Time management is required to effectively balance your work & life. Make sure you get some time for your personal life, to pursue your hobbies be it yoga, biking or music and to socialize with your friends & family. So, when you manage to take out some time for self-care, you can certainly go a long way in fighting nurse burnout.
- Collaboration and communication at the workplace - Nurses work individually however importance of team work cannot be ruled out. Thus, it is essential to maintain lines of communication with the co-workers so that workload is managed efficiently. Moreover, having a social support system at workplace is important that helps you to sail through the tough times smoothly.
These tips will help you fight the burnout however, if burnout seems inevitable, it is good to take a break from work. Use your sick leaves and go on a vacation, recharge your batteries and join back with a fresh perspective and zeal to work.
INSCOL in collaboration with BPP University, London and Seneca College, Canada offers Nursing Leadership & Management programs at world class hospitals to help nurses progress their careers and take up managerial roles in healthcare settings!
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