Be Aware of Burnout

Burnout is not a new phenomenon. However, modern healthcare as well as modern nursing brings along with it various challenges that have the potential to tip many of us over to the burnout arena. Whether it is the challenge of surviving in this high tech, fast paced world or juggling with the day to day chores of our lives, it is important to be self-aware and successfully handle burnout before it takes over our lives. Further, it has also been well established that burnout is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes. In addition to the physical health associated problems such as Diabetes, Hypertension and Cardiovascular diseases that arise from burnout related stress. It is also important to acknowledge that adverse effects of burnout cost us in terms of mental health as well. Anxiety, depression, exhaustion, fatigue, depersonalization and decrease in personal achievement are some of the few of those issues that arise from burnout (Chang, Shyu, Wong, Chu, Lo, Teng, 2017)

Prevention of burnout is equally or even more important than prevention of other physical diseases. Unfortunately, neither are there any annual screening and laboratory tests to identify burnout, nor are there any prescriptions to treat the same. It is up to the individual to develop self-awareness and self-treat burnout. According to Fida, Laschinger and Leiter (2018) Self-efficacy is a valuable tool against burnout. The authors conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of self-efficacy in preventing burnout among nurses and concluded that self-efficacy had a protective effect in prevention of burnout.

In summary, nurses must engage in self-care, healthy eating and physical activity, be mentally and physically strong and develop self-efficacy so that caring for those who cannot take care of themselves does not impact you negatively. Nurses are the most trusted profession in healthcare, so let’s pledge to engage in habits that promote physical and mental health and be aware of burnout!!

Cheers to good health!

Amita Avadhani, Eleanor Dietrich-Withington, and the Healthy Nurse Healthy New Jersey team

References

Chang, H., Shyu, Y., Wong, M., Chu, T., Lo, Y., Teng, C. (2017). How does burnout impact the three components of nursing professional commitment? Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 31(4), 1003–1011. doi:10.1111/scs.12425.

Fida, R., Laschinger, H., & Leiter, M. (2018). The protective role of self-efficacy against workplace incivility and burnout in nursing: A time-lagged study.(Report)(Author abstract). Health Care Management Review, 43(1), 21–29. doi:10.1097/HMR.0000000000000126.