Tag: 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.

Momentum Healthcare Staffing: We Help Nurse Practitioners find the Best Opportunities

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It’s safe to say modern America has never been more appreciative of healthcare workers than since the pandemic began. Our healthcare, our lives, really, were (and are) in the hands of these medical professionals and they have been the backbone of this crisis. Now, hospitals, urgent care centers, doctor’s offices, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities across the country are experiencing extreme staffing shortages since the 2020 outbreak of Covid, says US News. Long waiting times for patients, weekend closures, and burnout for current staff has been skyrocketing. The need for healthcare workers has never been greater.

The staffing shortage affects every aspect of healthcare, from pediatric hospitals to nursing homes, and making sure patients get the best care is the most important priority, says the CDC. In their “Strategies to Mitigate Staffing Shortages,” the CDC focuses on adjusting staff schedules, hiring additional HCP (health care professionals), and rotating positions. This includes canceling all non-essential visits and procedures and moving healthcare workers to the areas most needed. They also give guidance on postponing elective time off for healthcare workers but to respond to mental health issues and consider the different responsibilities of each worker.

Burnout

Burnout within the healthcare community runs high these days, and has been the past few years, because of the influx in patients from Covid and the shortage in staffing. Nurses, especially, are leaving because of the stress alone, says Healthcaredive. In a recent survey, more than a third of nurses polled said they were leaving their jobs by the end of the year, said the article. Healthcare systems have tried to entice new hires and current employees by raising compensative rates and have partnered with nursing schools to ensure future staff.

Technology

In a creative effort to off-put the staffing shortage, some healthcare systems have leaned on technology, says US News. They are planning ahead with analytics and data before procedures and having the patients monitor themselves at home. Using this sort of technological tactic helps nurses manage patient care and also manage more patients at the same time, says the article. Other facilities have used cloud-based technologies to better track workflows, stock levels, and product tracking. Streamlining these systems will help create a more efficient and precise healthcare network that serves both professionals and patients.

Healthcare facilities are better equipped now than at the beginning of the pandemic, however, the influx of patients is still daunting, says Politico. Staff members are being pulled from their regular stations to assist with Covid antibody infusions, a labor-intensive process that requires treating immunocompromised patients at separate locations with careful infection control. The patients get the help they need, but where were the staff pulled from, questions the article. It isn’t really a long term solution, but serves as a band-aid for the current crisis.

Healthcare Staffing Agency: Momentum Healthcare Staffing

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Our country is going through quite a bit of change, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Healthcare facilities, and healthcare workers are doing their best to keep our citizens healthy and out of harm’s way. There is a worry within the healthcare community that this will continue for years to come, however, our country has seen it before and we will see it again: Where there is a will, there is a way.