What do you do if you're facing burnout as a nurse?

As nurses we are conditioned to prioritized the well-being of others before our own. Burnout for nurses goes beyond feeling tired or experiencing a bad day at work. It is defined as emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Symptoms include emotional exhaustion, cynicism, anxiety, frequent sick days, changes in sleep habits, and decreased career satisfaction. It impacts nurses' personal lives, the patients they take care of, and the healthcare organizations they work for. Nurses consistently working 12-hour shifts are not only at risk for burnout but also for other dimensions of distress, such as severe fatigue and poor work-life balance.

On your days off, REST. I am a huge advocate for supporting your adrenals. products with these components Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, L-thyrosine, L-theanine . Vitamin C are excellent ways to start supporting your bodies systems.

At some point, one must take a step back and look at yourself in a mirror. Ask: why are you all stressed out? When one is experiencing extreme stress, life will lose its order and one will lose the ability to function at a high level. Are you managing your time wisely? Are you being harassed by co-workers? Identify where the stress is coming from and identify your perception of what your role and responsibilities are. Then redefine your sense of self, create coping strategies, and a plan to prevent and to ease the stress.

Prioritize going to a therapist or counselor to process trauma or learn coping strategies that provide long-term solutions. Seeking out work support services through your HR department, your manager, that are specifically designed to help nurses process their feelings is important. Advocating for more flexibility in your nursing schedule, further mental health support, and days off for self-care is critical for your recovery. Finally, it’s important to have self-compassion. Remembering, that you are not alone, weak, or a failure. Be kind to yourself in this challenging time.

On your days off, REST. Ask for help, get your partners grocery shopping, if you have children have them do the household choirs, cook. Don't feel guilty to ask for help. No shame in seeking professional therapist, if that is what you need.

Prioritize self-care. Self-care can include meditating, exercising, engaging in your favourite hobbies, or spending time with the people you love. Focus on your sleep. Sleep renews energy, reduces stress in the body, and helps promote health. Find support. This can be done through your workplace, friends or counselling. Therapy can provide you with a space to sort through emotions and frustrations and identify new tools to help you cope with stress. Reduce stress. If you work in a stressful work environment, consider switching specialties. If you work long 12-hour shifts and struggle to find work-life balance, consider switching to shorter, 8-hour shifts.

On your days off, REST. If you are a shift worker that can be tricky. It can play havoc on your circadian rhythm system. Most importantly get your REM sleep. Struggle with sleeping. Dark room. Right temperature for you. Practice deep breathing before you put your head on the pillow. Simple exercise is breath in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds. This slows your heart rate down and relaxes you. Taking away all the anxiety of your shift.