Self-care Tips for Nurses: How To Prevent Nurse Burnout
Although it is rewarding work, caretakers across medical fields are often at a higher risk and deal with serious symptoms of burnout, including emotional exhaustion, pessimism, and a low sense of professional accomplishment. This can occur due to many reasons, including high-stress work environments, shift work and long hours, understaffing, low pay scales, high responsibility, and a lack of support from health care teams.
In this guide, we will discuss the signs of nurse burnout and offer tips on preventing it.
Signs of Nurse Burnout
Nursing burnout can arise in various ways, but it's usually associated with a few symptoms, such as exhaustion, disliking going to work, starting to feel underappreciated, and being constantly overworked. This can diminish staff morale and can result in resignations and instability in the workplace.
When working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, it's challenging to prioritize self-care. Burnout occurs when nurses are overburdened and subjected to a continuous stream of high-stress circumstances, long hours, and providing emotional support to patients' relatives.
According to AMN Healthcare, warning signs of established nurse burnout, , include:
Arriving late to work,
Calling in sick excessively,
Having a negative attitude,
Opposing workplace changes,
Withdrawing from social circles.
Nurses are at risk of developing chronic stress if they do not take time to rest or recharge. It can lead to other problems over time, such as depression, accelerated aging, and a weakened immune system.
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Tips on How To Prevent Burnout in Nursing
Being aware of the issue is the initial step. When you recognize these symptoms for yourself or others, there are ways to take extra precautions and prioritize self-care to avoid nursing burnout. Self-care allows you to have more energy for others, both at work and in your personal life. Here are some of the measures to take in order to prevent burnout:
Develop a strong support system
A lack of connection can make people feel lonely, putting them at risk of anxiety, sorrow, and other negative emotions.
In order to combat nurse burnout, it's critical to have strong relationships both at work and at home. Nurses can cope with high-stress situations by talking to someone about their emotional suffering and balancing personal and professional pressures.
While nurses can seek help from coworkers and supervisors, it is critical that they have someone outside of the workplace who will listen to their problems and provide emotional support. Regular calls or video chats with family or friends, hosting a meal or gathering (even remotely), bonding with family on off days through board games, movie nights, or outdoor activities can all contribute to forming valuable relationships.
Having a network of people for support is especially important. However, having contacts in the field who can provide assistance is extremely necessary for nurses. Other nurses who are familiar with the struggles that come with the profession can be a huge source of comfort and relief. A strong nursing network can make a significant difference in career aspirations and growth, even on good days.
Maintain a work-life balance
Once your shift ends, leave any thoughts, feelings, and grievances about work, and make an effort to spend time at home with loved ones, as well as engaging in activities that you enjoy.
This could include practicing a hobby you are passionate about or exploring new activities and hobbies. Anything you can do that provides much-needed entertainment, challenges your brain, or allows you to spend quality alone time can help you recharge and will be beneficial for you in the long run.
Seek out counseling services
Nurses often work in high-stress and challenging environments, so it's essential to recognize how they can negatively affect mental health. Nurses should utilize any therapy or counseling services provided by their facility. When not available in their healthcare facilities, nurses can seek out staff therapists outside of work. Various resources and tools suggested by counselors or therapists can help healthcare workers prevent or recover from burnout.
Meditate
When dealing with difficult situations, sitting in a calm, comfortable spot and focusing on your breathing, environment, and emotional energy can help you practice mindfulness. Breathing exercises help you relax by lowering the stress levels in the body and slowing down your heart rate.
As an extra step, when you're feeling stressed, you can stop the pressure from building up by doing something calming for 60 seconds and taking a second to appreciate the things in your life that are good and bring you some joy.
Exercise regularly
When we exercise, our bodies release endorphins. Endorphins are known to reduce stress and trigger a euphoric feeling in the body, helping nurses overcome various mental and emotional reactions to things that happen on the job. Exercising could also become a hobby, so choosing activities such as kickboxing, dancing in a hip hop class or running, may make it more enjoyable.
Making time for a physical break will revitalize your body and give your mind a mental vacation from work. If there's no time for recreational activities, nurses should exercise for at least 30 minutes each day, including walks during free periods or a regular workout session after rounds.
Create personal healthy habits
Developing a healthy lifestyle requires setting boundaries and practicing self-control. Chaotic schedules, long shifts, and bad habits can lead to putting personal health on the back burner. Even setting aside some private time to do something you enjoy can be very rejuvenating.
Take the time to plan out healthy meals and snacks ahead of time. While they are always on the go and need to get food as quickly as possible, nurses need to give their bodies a break from low-quality foods and occasionally do a nutritional cleanse, which can be very helpful in managing stress.
Regardless of how much their sleeping schedule needs to be adjusted, nurses should try to get at least seven or more hours of sleep per night, depending on their schedule. A sufficient amount of sleep can help with focus, concentration, energy, mood, and motivation.
It's also important to pay attention to the quality of your sleep. Limit your screen time and alcohol or caffeine consumption before bedtime to ensure a restful night's sleep.
Nursing stress affects nurse health. Every RN should learn more about stress management for nurses, but you must find self-care practices that work best for you. Nurses should make self-care a priority, regardless of what path they take. This method of health management can ultimately reduce job stress and help nurses perform at their best while on duty.