Pumpkin spice and fall-scented candles shouldn’t be the only thing in the air this October; FALLing back in love with your job should be too. In the United States, 2.7 million nurses experienced burnout in the last year alone.
While the responsibility to create workplace cultures that prevent burnout falls on hospitals and healthcare facilities, there are still some things you can do to recover from nurse burnout. Check out these three tips to fall in love with nursing all over again.
Signs You’re Suffering From Burnout
Before we get into the tips, how do you know when you are suffering from burnout? Researchers have identified these specific signs of nurses’ burnout:
Emotional exhaustion
Low motivation
Feeling frustrated
Difficulty focusing during shifts
Decreased pride in your work
Find a Coping Mechanism
If you think you experience some (or all) of the signs above, the first step to take is finding a coping mechanism that works for you. Ideally, this is an activity away from work that makes you feel happier and relaxed. Common coping mechanisms include:
Journaling
Drawing or painting
Long walks in nature
Meditation
Yoga
This is just a shortlist and anything that relieves your stress in a healthy way (i.e. not Netflix binging) can be considered a healthy coping mechanism. Try out a couple of different tactics and see which works for you.
Change Your Schedule and Take Breaks
While stress reduction activities are great, you also need a workplace that supports your mental health and isn’t covered in red flags. If you find that you’re working too many shifts or aren’t able to get eight hours of sleep between each shift, talk to your supervisor about changing your schedule.
You can also take longer or more productive breaks when you’re on the job to reduce burnout. Healthy breaks can include going for walks outside, chatting with a coworker, or staring at nature instead of your phone.
Consider Switching Workplaces
If the first two tips don’t solve your burnout, it may be time to freshen up your resume. Nurses on understaffed teams (hello too many shifts) or in a toxic workplace might want to consider transitioning to a better-staffed employer.
Make sure to check out HireMe Healthcare’s resources when searching for a new role. Once you land an interview, ask specific questions about how the potential employer mitigates burnout in their nursing staff. After all, less burnout leads to increased productivity, better patient care, and lower hospital costs. It’s a win-win-win for you, your employer, and your patients.