Nursing Burnout Prevention

2008-04-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

CRISPY

Burnout- The perception that an individual has used up all available energy to perform the job and feels that he or she doesn't have enough energy to complete the task (Sullivan & Decker, 2005, p.207).

Sullivan, E. & Decker, P. (2005). Effective leadership and management in nursing (6th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

If you find yourself on the path of burnout, STOP immediately. Try to take some time off away from the source of stress. Identify and gather your thoughts and feelings and express them to someone who is a caring listener. Next get your priorities together and actively try to adhere to them. Make positive changes and be patient. Do things that are fun and constructive for you in other areas of your life. When you find yourself in a stressful situation make the focus positive and be at peace with yourself.

2008-04-03T18:52:00.000-07:00

Nurse Managers

Good effective nurse managers should be able to identify stress level factors in their nurses.
Managers must recognize the sources of stress and offer solutions to help manage stress.
Sometimes, a simple "thank you" from a manager can go a long way. Other times, allowing a stressed nurse to vent their feelings to their manager helps too. Most hospitals offer Personal Employee Assistance to their employees in times of stress and crisis. This is a free and confidential service providing counseling to assist staff in need. In the business of caring, we as nurses need to sometimes know that we are cared for too.

2008-04-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

Nurses are patient people.

Top ten reasons to become a nurse:
1) Pays better then fast food, though the hours aren't as good.
2) Fashionable shoes and sexy white uniforms.
3) Needles: "Tis better to give than receive"
4) Reassure your patients that all bleeding stops...eventually.
5) Expose yourself to rare, exciting and new diseases.
6) Interesting aromas.
7) Courteous and infallible doctors who always leave clear orders in perfectly legible handwriting.
8) Do enough charting to navigate around the world.
9) Celebrate all the holidays with your friends- at work.
10) Take comfort that most of your patients survive no matter what you do to them.

Author Unknown

2008-04-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Helpful websites to learn other ways of dealing with a stressful nursing career

http://medi-smart.com/humor.htm

http://medi-smart.com/stress2.htm

http://medi-smart.com/stress1.htm

http://medi-smart.com/stress-gift.htm

http://medi-smart.com/stress10.htm

2008-04-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

PREVENTING BURNOUT TIPS

Avoid isolation. Don't do everything alone, ask for help.
Learn to delegate. When feelings of being overwhelmed occur, learn to delegate.
Stop over-nurturing. Don't take on other people's problems.
Change your circumstances if necessary. Don't let others drag you down.Change departments if necessary.
Take care of yourself. Make healthy lifestyle choices.
Diminish worry and anxiety. Worrying changes nothing.
Keep your sense of humor. Bring happy moments to your job.

Burnout prevention and recovery. Retrieved on April 3, 2008, from http://web.mit.edu/afs/athena.mit.edu/user/w/c/wchuang/News/college/MIT-views.html

2008-04-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

According to Neils, (2008), A personal assessment tool, Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP), can help you find your natural motivations and how to find happiness in what you do. This test can be found at http://www.assessment.com/mappmembers/avoidingburnout.asp?Accnum=06-5210-010.00

Neils, H. (2008). 13 signs of burnount and how to help you avoid it. Retrieved on April 3, 2008, from http://www.assessment.com/mappmembers/avoidingburnout.asp?Accnum=06-5210-010.00

2008-04-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Early Signs of Burnout (Neils, 2008)

Chronic fatigue - exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down
Anger at those making demands
Self-criticism for putting up with the demands
Cynicism, negativity, and irritability
A sense of being besieged
Exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
Frequent headaches and gastrointestinal disturbances
Weight loss or gain
Sleeplessness and depression
Shortness of breath
Suspiciousness
Feelings of helplessness
Increased degree of risk taking

I am sure if we all think about it, we and or several co-workers have had a few of these symptoms.

Neils, H. (2008). 13 signs of burnount and how to help you avoid it. Retrieved on April 3, 2008, from http://www.assessment.com/mappmembers/avoidingburnout.asp?Accnum=06-5210-010.00

2008-04-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Critical Care Nursing is all I have ever known in my 8 year nursing career and it is what I love. I enjoy the challenges of the critically ill and the miracles that sometimes happen. However, the personalities of patients and their support systems today are quite challenging in themselves and when illness is added to that, nurses get the raw end of the deal sometimes. Whether it is those patients who think they are at a hotel and demand only the best beverages and food, a bigger television or even a Down comforter, nurses must professionally and politely inform them that this is not something hospitals provide.

We have all heard of the term "Nursing Burnout" in our nursing careers. The truth is that anyone can suffer from burnout, but nurses in particular are very vulnerable. The art of caring is both demanding and stressful at times and if it isn't managed well it progresses to burnout. Burnout is a very dark and negative place that affects us physically, mentally and emotionally. By recognizing early signs of burnout, management of stress can help prevent the rapid spiral downward. I have some tips to help!!!