How To Create a Staff Firewall and Prevent Burnout

By Tammy McKinney, RN 

Staff burnout in the healthcare field is extremely prevalent and with high acuity patients, low staffing, and constant turnover can seem unavoidable. Workers are suffering from feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, dread and frustration, and management often feels unequipped to prevent or cure the burnout within their staffing pool. But, with some creativity, and the strategies/tips listed here, supervisors and managers can create a workforce filled with happy, engaged workers!

What is the ONE THING staff REALLY want? TIME. Time to sit and enjoy a book. Time to spend with family. Time to finish that kitchen project. Time to walk the dog. Time to finish their work AT WORK. Healthcare staff are no different. While they’re dedicated beings with hearts of gold, they also have lives, responsibilities and interests outside of work. Staff with a balance of time that works for them, are staff who will stay dedicated and stay long. But, what can MANAGEMENT do when they need those holes filled? Several options are available.

•  SELF-SCHEDULING gives staff control over their schedules and leads to workers who are more willing to fill what they see as areas of need. Where possible, giving staff control over their schedule is the best option for creating work/life balance in the group.  
•  HIRE STAFF FOR POSITIONS THEY WANT. It’s never a good idea to hire a second shift staff member who really wants first shift, or a nurse who wants to “get her foot in the door” and wait for a different department to open up. This is a recipe for burnout from the door! Hold out for the right candidate for that position and see greater benefits in the long run.
• HIRE PRN OR PART-TIME POSITIONS. These positions are great for those who want work to take up a smaller part of their lives, but they are also wonderful fillers for those holes!
• NEVER USE GUILT as a motivation to fill staffing holes. Caring healthcare workers are highly susceptible to this tactic, yet it leads to a strong feeling of resentment over time. What’s worse, it makes management appear anxious and can create an atmosphere of fear where staff feel unsecure in their environment. Being honest and straightforward when asking for help will ensure a relationship of respect between workers and management.
•  ADVOCATE for staff. If there aren’t enough workers, speak up to superiors and make it known!

Invasive schedules aren’t the only thing looming over healthcare staff. In fact, an endless list of patient needs, tasks, documentation requirements, reviews, inspections, continuing education, and meetings flood staff every day. It can feel nearly impossible for them to accomplish it all and do it with the quality and detail that is expected. At the end of the day, there’s no cutting back as each thing is as important as the next. Preventing burnout is all about setting staff up for success by implementing the following strategies!

• COMMUNICATION IS KEY! Staff have a never ending barrage of requests thrown at them throughout their shift. Supervisors who communicate expectations prior to the start of the shift and give realistic expectations that include priority levels of each task create a sense of order and an atmosphere of teamwork.
• ORGANIZATION IS ALMOST AS IMPORTANT! Staff who trusts management feel supported, are more likely to stay long term, and have a more positive attitude. One surefire way to create that trust is to stay well-organized! While things change quickly in the healthcare field, fewer surprises equals less stress. Always try to give staff a heads up about changes with as much notice as possible and keep them abreast of upcoming meetings, trainings, expectations in an organized manner. Bathroom bulletin boards are a great place to keep calendars and reminders organized! But, be sure to notify them in a direct manner BEFORE hanging the reminders on the board. 
• SET STAFF UP FOR SUCCESS! Extra meetings, continuing education and mandatory trainings can be overwhelming for workers in the field. Setting them up for success with the extra tasks not only ensures completion, but also gives staff a sense of security. Build time for these duties into the schedule, and make every effort to ensure that it’s not EXTRA time (remember work/life balance?). Provide resources such as CEU memberships and always PAY staff for hours spent completing requirements.
• BACK THEM UP! Staff in the field need a tremendous amount of SUPPORT behind them. They need to feel as if they have someone to call in case of an emergency, with a question, or for back up. When they call for back up, always be there! Help where you’re qualified to do so, even if it’s outside of your job description. Never leave a colleague in the weeds! The most trusted of nursing managers will give a bed bath to a patient in a minute if a CNA says she’s overwhelmed!
• BE SEEN! Managers who are visible and can be easily found are trusted as part of the team! Make regular rounds on the floor, ask how things are going, offer realistic assistance or advice when appropriate and ALWAYS FOLLOW THROUGH with any promised help!

Pizza, Ice Cream, Candy and Tickets to a hometown baseball game. These offerings are made by well-meaning managers across all fields, but often don’t have the effect they hope for. To be effective, favors need to be thoughtful and useful. Reserve the standard options for moments of celebration and be sure to think outside of the box when attempting to boost morale! Check out these helpful ideas…

• BE THOUGHTFUL when offering food. Staff who are overwhelmed may not have time to run out for lunch. Offer a HEALTHY, filling meal in the breakroom and be available to “hold down the fort” while workers take 30 minutes to sit down and enjoy it.
• GIVE TIME OFF, rather than tickets to a game. Staff have a wide range of interests, so give them time and let them decide what to do with it. Whether it’s an option to leave early one day, an extra vacation day, or even an extended lunch break, time means everything!
• BE THANKFUL. Healthcare workers give their lives to the organizations for which they work. When they give a little extra, be thankful in a meaningful way. A handwritten note, or even a small but personal gift (such as a pack of their favorite pens) means a lot more than a coffee cup branded with the company logo. Giving workers a feeling of true appreciation can soften the blow from a difficult shift and lead to willingness to help out in the future.

Burnout is real, and can quickly occur in high-stress and low-staff environments. At the end of the day constant care of staff is the only real way to prevent it. If you suspect that your workforce is burning out, make sure you’re using the strategies provided here and when in doubt, ask your workers what THEY need to succeed!