Nurse Practitioners: How to Balance Work-life and Avoid Burnout

Administrative tasks, checking equipment, and reviewing charts is just the typical beginning of a shift for a nurse practitioner, says Indeed. The rest of the day consists of visiting patients, assessing conditions, making diagnosis, and possibly training other nurses. It’s no surprise that one of the most important professions in America takes a lot of work and dedication. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are over 355,000 nurse practitioners licensed in the US. On average, they see about three or more patients an hour. Accessing medical training, workplace protocol, communication, and compassion are all in a day’s work for a nurse practitioner and it can take a toll on their personal reserves. Finding a work/life balance is crucial for these incredible professionals so they can keep following their calling and have a life outside of work.

Caring about patients, loving the job, and working long hours comes with the territory of being a nurse practitioner, but it often puts self-care on the backburner, says Nursing Process. Over 60% of nurse practitioners said they were burned out, and about 30% said they were burned out and depressed, said Advisory. One of the ways to keep a work/life balance, says the article, is to actually keep it! That means taking the vacation time that comes with the job. Many employees don’t feel entitled to take their vacation, and the US isn’t exactly known for being generous with it, but it’s important to get just a little removed once in a while from this demanding work. Not taking the break is what leads to stress, burnout, and even resentment.

Nurse practitioners are often tasked with administrative work for the patients they care for. If there is a lot of clutter or messiness, it can turn into a time waster and a stress maker at the same time. Making a comfortable work space can really help reduce stress, says Nursing Process. Tidying clutter, organizing paperwork, and making a comfortable and calm space will help with efficiency, says the article. It may even be an incentive to finish up work faster to get home.

There are a few things already that nurse practitioners are doing at work to help reduce their stress, said Advisory. According to a report, meditation, reducing work hours, and requesting staffing changes helped with burnout. Only 25% of nurse practitioners said they changed jobs as an alternative.

Although it’s the nurse practitioner that’s the medical professional and caregiver, sometimes they need to be taken care of as well. A colleague, a counselor, or a therapist can offer great support in a profession that easily leads to burnout, says Nurse Practitioner Online. Someone who is going through the same thing at work can help relieve stress, or talking to a mental health professional can reduce frustration, says the article.

We can all get onboard with the notion of more self-care for our country’s nurse practitioners. When they take care of themselves, they are able to care for us when we need them most. Whether it’s a cleaner, more comfortable office, a few days away, or talking to a therapist, nurse practitioners deserve the relief and decompression from the miraculous work they do.

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