by Sarah Jividen | Dec 5, 2018 | Nurse Burnout, Nurse Health Tips, Nurse Life, Nurse Work Life Balance
Nurse burnout sucks. I’ve totally been there.
So, it may seem odd at first to hear that I also LOVE talking about nurse burnout. In fact, I think every nurse experiences burnout at some point in their career (if you haven’t, please email me back and let me know your secret!).
Here’s the kicker. Once you admit you have an issue with nursing burnout, you open yourself to the idea of potential solutions. But if you just pull your hoodie over your eyes and continue to suffer in silence, then nothing ever changes. And your burnout gets even worse.
So, let’s talk about solutions for nurse burnout!
Last week I had an amazing opportunity to interview with nurse coach and fellow ER nurse Jessica Smith about bouncing back from burnout!
Our Bouncing Back From Burnout YouTube interview can be found here:
During the interview, we discussed the following:
- How you can find a work-life balance with a busy nursing schedule;
- Why nurses need to make their own health a #1 priority;
- How getting to the “why” in your burnout can help you find patterns that contribute to your burnout;
- And why you should always surround yourself with positive support!
I’d love for you to listen in – and even better – leave a comment or share it with your fellow nurse friends!
Again, the link to listen in can be found here!
I can’t wait for you to check it out!
Additional Recommended Reading:
7 Ways To Beat Nurse Burnout
Nurse Burnout: How Administration Can Help
How To Achieve A Work-Life Balance As A Nurse
Nurse Health: Self- Care For 12 Hours Shift
by Sarah Jividen | Nov 27, 2018 | Nurse Burnout, Nurse Life
Nurse burnout is common.
As a second career RN with 7 years of experience as a med/surg, telemetry, emergency room and resource nurse I have struggled tremendously with nurse burnout. In fact, I often wonder how long I can continue working as a nurse when I often feel so spent. The caregiver burden is real.
Nurse burnout is often described as the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion of nurses. Causes for nurse burnout include working arduous 12 hour shifts, working in high stress environments, dealing with sickness and death and constantly having to put the needs of others before one’s own.
Like most nurses, I am very passionate about my profession. It is a privilege and an honor to advocate for and serve my patients during some of the most difficult points of their lives. But there has to be a better way to help nurses find a better balance between patient care and self-care.
The nurse burnout problem is not going away.
Left unchecked, nurse burnout can lead to exhaustion, physical injuries, and even depression. Furthermore, disengagement caused by nurse burnout can negatively impact patient care, increase the risk of medical errors and lower overall patient satisfaction.
In addition, nurse health must be taken more seriously. Too many nurses are on their way to becoming patients themselves due to overwork.
Nursing burnout: administration can help.
Hospital administration can help.
Here are a few ideas that hospitals should consider to help nurses create more balance and achieve some self care during work hours.
1. Create a meditative space for nurses away from patients and visitors
Caregiver burden is an issue for nurses. It is not uncommon for hospitals to have a space for spiritual prayer or meditation for patients and their families. However, nurses should also be offered a meditative space to clear their heads, and have a quiet moment to themselves. This would help nurses return to their work environments with renewed energy and focus to give better patient care.
2. Offer yoga and meditation classes
Offering yoga and meditation classes during the nurse’s lunch breaks would be beneficial. Studies show that yoga and meditation can greatly improve quality of life for nurses by reducing stress levels. In turn, nurses are able to give better patient care.
A study published in the National Institute of Biotechnology Information investigated the effects of yoga on stress coping strategies of ICU nurses. After only 8 weeks of yoga the results showed that the participating ICU nurses had significantly better focus coping strategies and reduced mental stress.
Yoga at work could also help many nurses manage the chronic back pain they have developed as a result of nursing. An evidenced based review at the Texas Women’s University reported that estimates of chronic low back pain among nurses range from 50%-80%. A 30 minute gentle yoga class during a nurse’s lunch break could help nurses manage this issue. Yoga stretching not only increases flexibility, but also increases muscle strength and prevents injuries such as chronic lower back pain.
3. Make sure nurses get adequate breaks
Working for 6, 8 or even 12 hours without eating or sitting would make anyone become resentful after a while. Patient loads can often feel so overwhelming that sometimes nurses will work right through a break without even realizing it. Exhaustion from not eating or drinking enough water and being on your feet for grueling 12 hour shifts will eventually lead to nursing burnout.
4. Recognize nurses for their hard work
This should be a given, but for some reason it isn’t in many facilities. A “thank you” goes a long way. It is very much appreciated by nurses who work extraordinarily hard to keep patients healthy and safe.
Too many hospitals put little to no effort into helping nurses celebrate for nurses week every year. This sends a very strong message to nurses that management does not care about the hard work and dedication they put into caring for their patients.
5. Involve management in nurse bullying and cliques
Unfortunately, too many facilities allow bullying in their workplace. According to a 2017 survey by RN network, 45% of nurses have been verbally harassed or bullied by other nurses at work. Some forms of nurse bullying are obvious. However, many times the bullying is much more subtle, such as a nurse talking down to another nurse in front of a patient.
Building a supportive working environment is important to the health and well-being of nurses. Bullying should never be considered acceptable behavior and hospital management should be more involved in helping to prevent it.
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Additional recommended reading:
by Sarah Jividen | Jun 7, 2018 | Nurse Health Tips, Nurse Life
(This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure page here. For more information about collaborating with Mother Nurse Love click here).
Nurse, take care of yourself first.
This statement may appear counter intuitive. After all, aren’t nurses supposed to be selfless humans who give care to total strangers without concern for their own well being?
Two words: Absolutely NOT!
Nurses NEED to put themselves first so they have the stamina and good health to care for their patients and their own families. This is non-negotiable.
Staying healthy as a nurse is a win-win for everyone. First off, our families get a better version of us. Second, we have the energy and stamina to keep up with heavy patient workloads. And third, we have better relationships with our spouses and friends.
Most importantly though, nurses who take care of themselves are happier!
(Attention employers: studies show that happy, healthy nurses give higher quality of patient care. This results in a decrease in medical errors and improves patient satisfaction, which is very good for hospital PR and the overall patient experience. So support your nurses in their quest for a healthier lifestyle!)
8 Simple Ways Nurses Can Stay Healthy When Working 12 Hours Shifts!
Here are 8 ways nurses can stay healthy and practice better self-care on a daily basis:
#1. Protect your back: do core work!
As a result of years of heavy lifting many RN’s are suffering from chronic back problems. I know several nurses who have had to go out on disability and sadly still suffer from permanent chronic back pain.
Chronic back pain in the nursing population is a common ailment. An evidenced based review at the Texas Women’s University reported that estimates of chronic low back pain among nurses range from 50%-80%. There is good news though: the review also presented an overwhelming amount of studies that found that regular yoga significantly reduced symptoms associated with chronic low back pain and greatly improved overall physicality. Yoga poses (like plank pose) help you create a stronger core. So say yes to yoga!
By working on your core at home, you can preemptively protect your back from some of the wear-and tear you are going to experience as a busy RN. You STILL NEED to use good body mechanics while lifting and turning patients- this is imperative! But by working your core you help strengthen your back and help prevent injuries from occurring over the course of your nursing career.
Compression stockings help increase circulation of blood flow and oxygen by helping increase the velocity, or speed of blood flow. By squeezing on the legs, the veins carrying blood to the heart are compressed. Think of how when you squeeze a hose, it squirts the water out faster. With compression stockings, the same volume of blood is able to move up the leg, but it has less area in which to move.
Standing for long periods of time causes valves in the veins to become weakened, causing blood to collect in the veins. This causes the veins to enlarge and increase in pressure. The veins then stretch from the increased pressure and cause varicose veins, which can be painful and unsightly!
A study by The Society of Occupational Medicine found that wearing compression stockings significantly decreased lower limb venous pressure in nurses who stood for very long hours. The data found that compression stockings protected against oxidative stress in those who work in long-standing occupations.
(Learn more about the best compression stockings and socks for nurses here!)
#3. Practice yoga
Yoga stretching not only increases flexibly, but increases muscle strength and prevents injuries such as chronic lower back pain. In a career as physically demanding as nursing, the more physically stable we are, the better care we can give to ourselves and our patients.
A study published in the National Institute of Biotechnology Information investigated the effects of yoga on stress coping strategies of ICU nurses. After only 8 weeks of yoga the results showed that the participating ICU nurses had significantly better focus coping strategies and a major reduction in perceived mental pressure. If that is what can happen after only 8 weeks, imagine the impact a regular, permanent yoga practice could have on stress management levels.
Check out Yoga For Nurses for easy to follow instructional videos. Then, read more about why nurses NEED yoga here.
#4. Stay away from break room junk
Weight can creep up on healthcare workers who wear comfy, loose-fitting scrubs to work everyday, without you even noticing it!
Patients and staff often like to bring unhealthy snacks like donuts, cakes or cookies into the nurse break rooms as a “thank you” to nurses. This gesture is very “sweet” of them, however it doesn’t do our health or waistlines any good. Suggest bringing in fruit or veggie platters as a healthy treat for nurses instead.
One of the best ways nurses can stay healthy by preventing weight gain is to grocery shop in advance and prepare meals the night before a shift. That way you are not tempted to order take out or reach for high sugar goodies when you are starving at break time.
One day per week I make a big batch of quinoa and keep it handy in the fridge for myself. When I need it, I add veggies, nuts, seeds, dried cranberries, olive oil, tempeh or whatever else I have in the fridge at that moment. Not only does this help me make healthy lunches for work, but I also have delicious leftovers ready to eat when I get home from a long 12 hour shift.
(You can read more about how I prepare for a 12 hour shift here.)
#5. Consider working per diem
Per diem means: for each day. As a nurse, I am literally employed “by the day.” Hospitals need per diem nurses to cover staffing needs in the hospital, which can vary by the day or season.
Per diem nursing has been a game-changer for me as a working mom. It is so flexible that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to being a career RN again.
Here are a few benefits I found when I became a per diem nurse:
- Significantly higher per hour pay
- Work as little as one day a week or as many as five days a week (as long as there is a need)
- Make own schedule (if the hospital doesn’t need me they call me off)
- Cancel at the last minute (as long as it is by 3am)
- Add on a shift at the last minute
- Incredible opportunities for learning and professional growth
- Work in many different specialties: Emergency Room, Cardiac, Liver Transplant, Medicine, Neuroscience and Stroke, or Oncology, and more
- Opportunities to “master in” to a unit that is chronically short on staffing needs for a period of time: this guarantees a certain number of hours and gives an opportunity to go to the same unit for weeks or months at a time
Of course, there are also several drawbacks to being a per-diem nurse as well. It is not for every nurse. (You can read more about how per diem nursing helped me find a work-life balance here).
#6. Get good sleep
Nurses work very long hours and night shifts, which interrupts the normal sleep pattern.
Help yourself by creating an environment at home that is conducive to sleeping, even during daytime hours.
- Install blackout shades in your bedroom.
- Disconnect electronics that artificially lighten a dark room.
- Wear an eye mask.
- Purchase quality ear plugs so that the guy mowing his lawn next door doesn’t wake you up at noon when you are finally entering your REM cycle.
When I first started working night shifts I even went so far as to use “blue blocker” sunglasses when I was driving myself home at 8’o clock in the morning. (“Blue blockers” are the aviator style sunglasses that Zack Galifianakis and the baby wore in “The Hangover.” Who new one of the best ways nurses can stay healthy involves also looking stylishly cool?).
“Blue blockers” have orange glass lenses that cut the blue portion of the light spectrum. This helps prevent the light-inducted melatonin suppression and helps make it easier to fall asleep after seeing the morning sun.
#7. Meditate for 5 minutes a day
One of the best ways nurses can stay healthy is through meditation. Meditation is the practice of focusing your mind on a particular thought or activity to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.
A few benefits of meditation:
- decreased burnout
- better focus and ability to ignore distractions
- boost compassion
- better sleep
- stress relief
- happier state of mind
Headspace is an app for your phone that has many different meditations each lasting 1o to 60 minutes. If you can find 10 minutes in your day then you have no excuse not to meditate! Meditation is attainable for even the busiest of nurses!
I listen to Headspace with my headphones most nights before I go to bed. It helps me relax after a long day and even helps me to get a better nights sleep.
Like yoga, meditation is a practice. There is no good or bad. It is just what it is at the time. You can keep practicing to train your mind to do better the next time. And then eventually your brain is rewired by the habitual repetition of meditation and it becomes easier.
#8. Practice gratitude
Intentionally choose gratitude.
Try keeping a gratitude journal. Writing down what you are grateful for consciously reminds you that even though being a nurse is frustrating at times, the good stuff far outweighs the bad. It keeps you aligned with the positive aspects of being a nurse that we should keep our energy focused on: giving great patient care and helping save lives.
I love being a nurse, despite the fact that is it overwhelming and at times even maddening. Practicing gratitude helps me recognize how lucky I am to be a nurse who gets to help other people as my profession. I go home everyday with a sense of accomplishment that even I can “be the change I wish to see in the world.”
Additional recommended reading:
