Did you know 50% of health practitioners, especiallynurses,report their overall health as poor?
While nurses play a significant role in amending our health, they are the most susceptible to contracting an illness, especially mental conditions such as depression, anxiety, and burnout, due to excessive emotional, physical, and mental distress.This article will discuss four incredible ways to beat nurses’ burnout – tips for re-energizing yourself as a nurse and overcoming weariness.
Burnout is among the leading causes of increased nurses’ turnover rate. According to studies, about 17.1% of registered nurses do quit their roles every year. This turnover rate can lead to an average hospital losing more than 300,000 dollars every year. Thanks to nurse staffing agencies,they help to cut-short rehiring costs.
High turnover rates resultingin overworking, lack of clarity over their roles, poor communication, and a low sense of control over their job are among the leading causes of burnout in nurses.
Let’s now dive into discussing the best ways to beat nursing burnout.
Incredible Ways to Beat Burnoutamong Nurses
1. Pinpoint the Causes of Your Stress
Identifying the sources of your problem is the first step you take while trying to solve them.After pinpointing the causes, you can make a sound plan to address the challenges.
Nursingburnout may result from various factors, personality traits, work-related, lifestyle, among others.For example, in the United States, pressure related to teamwork – poor communications and conflicts between co-workers – isthe primary cause of burnout among nurses.
To identify the sources of your stress, you should try to evaluate your habits and attitude. You may also need to track your responsibilities for some time and identify various areas that make you feel stressed.
After identifying the stressors, you should try to minimize your touch with these causes. If your co-workers are the probable cause of your burnout, you should try to minimize your interactions with them.
Minimizing interactions with stressors allows you to focus your energy on less stressful activities. You may also consider addressing your issues with co-workers and superiorsto come up with a solution.
2. Practice Self-Care Habits
Although nursing requires much devotion, putting too much pressure on yourself is harmful to your health. Most nurses who frequently experience burnout commit much of their time at work and neglect their well-being.
Balancing work with personal life is crucial in fighting burnout. Always avoid unnecessary physical distress.
Here are some practices you can try to keep yourself healthier, energized, and passionate about your work
- Excise regularly – Excises are an essential remedy of stress. Although excise maybe the last thing you consider while feeling burned out, it is vital to improving your moods.
- Healthy eating – Healthy diet is a significant mood booster and helps you cope with stress and burnout.
- Take short breaks frequently – Although nursing is demanding, taking short breaks to refresh and relax your mind and body is essential.
- Get adequate sleep – Enough sleep fuels your body and mind and boosts your mood.
Practicing self-care habits will help you avoid burnout significantly. It is recommendable to practice natural ways to re-energize yourself for long-term effects. Ensure to avoid medicating yourself with drugs, stimulants, or alcohol.
3. Evaluate Your Responsibilities and Priorities
Burnout is a clear sign that you are neglecting something important – it is an indication that you are over-acting on some responsibilities and failing other equally important activities.
Although nursing may be your passion, always note that your life, family, and friends are essential in your life. Ensure to create your ‘me’ time. Spend time doing other things you love doing apart from nursing. It will enable you to rest, reflect, and be creative.
Although work might be demanding, and you may be needed to work overtime, it is recommendable to set boundaries. Have a schedule that balances your priorities. Ensure to adhere to it and focus your strength on current activity. Do not compromise other responsibilities over nursing responsibilities.
4. Express Your Emotions
Nurses have lots to deal with – personal issues, family, most importantly, patients who need much of their commitments and support. All the things they have to deal with leads to mixed emotions and stress. It is why it is recommendable to express their feelings.
Expressing your feeling is also an effective remedy for stress and burnout. As a nurse, you need to find a supportive team of friends, colleagues, or family members who you can easily connect with and share your emotions. It is okay to have someone to talk to. It is recommendable to have face-to-face interaction with your network. It makes you feel safer, understood, and helps you improve your resilience to stressing factors. Do not bury your feelings.
5. Consider Other Options
A change is also a useful option while trying to cope with burnout. If your feeling is due to work-related issues, you may need to transfer to a new workplace. In such cases, you may get help finding a new employer from Nursing Recruitment Agency Canada.
You may also consider a career change.
Conclusion
Although nurses are the most passionate and selfless professionals, their passion can easily swing to burnout, resulting in quitting or other severe conditions. It is recommendable always to evaluate yourself and take the necessary measures as soon as possible. The discussed tips will help you avoid stress and burnout at an early stage.