Nurses are at risk for burnout due to the physical, emotional, and mental demands of their jobs combined with a culture of overwork and not feeling supported or valued. Burnout results in feelings of detachment, dread, or cynicism towards work, as well as mental and physical exhaustion. Left unchecked, burnout can lead to severe health, mental health, and career problems.
What Is Nurse Burnout?
Burnout is a state of chronic stress and exhaustion often resulting from workplace stressors. Nurses can feel this way due to the demanding nature of the work, low pay for the amount of work expected of them, not feeling valued or respected, and feeling like they are powerless to do anything to change their environment. Burnout results when stress goes unchecked and becomes toxic, leading to a feeling of mental exhaustion, and even physical symptoms.1
Especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses (and physicians) have been faced with high patient loads, lack of support, and even risks to their own personal wellness and safety. Many nurses report worker shortages, increased workload, and increased hours. One of the tragedies of burnout is that it can strip talented nurses of their passion, trigger anxiety surrounding work, and leave them feeling drained and detached.2
Nurse Burnout Symptoms
A nurse experiencing burnout might have mental fatigue and feel emotionally drained. They may feel more negative or cynical towards their work and dread the next shift. They feel that they are starting to lose the passion and drive for the career that they once loved. Later stages of nurse burnout symptoms can look like lower productivity, missed work, and or physical illness.3
Nurse burnout symptoms include:
- Physical and emotional exhaustion
- Compassion fatigue
- Mental exhaustion and fatigue
- Sleep issues, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- Constant exhaustion
- Self-doubt
- Loss of inspiration
- Feeling emotionally drained
- Appetite and weight issues
- Feeling ineffective as a nurse
- Cynicism about the job
- Feeling powerless to change the situation
- Depression
- Anxiety
Causes of Nurse Burnout
Nurse burnout is a specific type of work burnout resulting from the stressors nurses face, including long hours, high patient loads, and difficult patient situations. Nurses provide compassionate care and are often the primary source of information and comfort for their patients. Increased demands, staff shortages, and a culture of not feeling valued all contribute to signs of nurse burnout.4
Here are potential causes of nurse burnout symptoms:
- Low pay for the amount of work and long hours expected of the job and/or associated financial stress
- Worker shortages
- Increased volume of patients during the pandemic
- Traumatic or difficult patient situations
- Thinking about patients when away from work
- Dealing with difficult and medically complex situations
- A challenging work environment
- Lack of respect for nurses by patients or staff
- Feeling like efforts aren’t appreciated
- Feeling powerless or ineffective
How to Prevent Nurse Burnout
The current situations contributing to nurse burnout may feel impossible to overcome, but there are ways to be proactive, practice excellent self-care and feel better. There are ways to manage stress, deal with being overwhelmed and prevent physical and emotional burnout in the early stages, before it becomes too serious. Sometimes, burnout prevention and recovery involves making difficult choices, setting boundaries, and making major changes.5
Here are ten ways to prevent nurse burnout:
1. Physical Self-Care
Burnout recovery often starts with taking care of basic physical needs first. Simple activities like drinking enough water, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, stretching or getting some fresh air can do wonders for mental health. When all else fails, check in with your body first.
2. Emotional Self-Care
Self-care is not just about bubble baths and manicures. It also includes taking care of one’s emotions and their inner world. Some ways to do this include journaling, talking with a friend, or watching a funny or uplifting show. Taking time for emotional self-care can help nurses recharge their batteries, reduce stress, and feel more resilient.
3. Make the Most of Your Time Off
Step away from work and focus on recharging. Spending time with supportive people, laughing, doing something creative, and making time for fun are all great ways to recharge. It’s important to truly take a break from the stressors, to step away and focus on other things. This can be easier said than done for someone who is used to focusing on work!
4. Acknowledge It
Sometimes, just acknowledging the situation and accepting it for what it is can be helpful. Acceptance does not mean liking or being OK with the situation. Rather, it simply means being honest about the current situation and acknowledging it.
5. Talk It Out With a Friend
Talking with an understanding friend can be a helpful way to process difficult feelings and make sense of thoughts. It’s important to not get into the habit of just venting about the job or dwelling on problems, because this doesn’t actually help alleviate stress or prevent burnout. Rather, talk with someone who can help you discover possible solutions, reframe negative thoughts, and get unstuck.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Insomnia and lack of sleep are a vicious cycle. When someone lays awake at night stressed and worried, this causes the body to release more stress hormones. More stress hormones lead to chronic stress, which over time can become burnout. Getting plenty of rest is critical for mental, emotional, and physical health. Practice good sleep hygiene and consider a soothing nighttime routine like gentle stretching, reading, or meditation.5
7. Exercise
There are many studies that show the link between exercise and positive mental health. Exercise can reduce stress, release endorphins, and even increase serotonin and dopamine. Exercise is especially helpful for reducing the symptoms of depression that can be related to burnout. To feel the benefits of exercise, aim to get some exercise most days of the week.6
8. Eat Healthy Food
Mental and physical health are interconnected, and good nutrition can make a difference. Healthy food can increase energy and boost mood, which can lead to an overall more positive outlook and lower burnout risk. The Mediterranean Diet and mindful eating practices have both been empirically proven to be protective factors against burnout.7
9. Make Time For Fun
Nurses can easily get dragged down by the difficult and draining nature of the job, making life feel heavy and stressful. Focusing on difficult and hard things day after day while pouring out energy and compassion for others can lead to burnout and depression. Make fun a priority! Plan something to look forward to and schedule it just as if it were an important meeting or appointment.
10. Seek Out Training or Professional Development
Learning new things and growing professionally can help reduce burnout. Learning new skills or exploring new areas of expertise can provide a refreshing change and give your career a boost. Seek out opportunities for growth and learning. Consider exploring different work environments. Talk with a supervisor or colleague about changes that can be made to make work more fulfilling.
When to Seek Professional Help
Nurse burnout may require additional help to overcome. Signs that burnout may be leading to a more serious mental health condition include changes in sleep patterns, changes to appetite or weight, anxiety, panic attacks, and thoughts of death or suicide. If any of these symptoms arise, or if chronic stress and burnout doesn’t improve over time, seek professional help.
Nurses who work with trauma can also develop secondary or vicarious trauma. Symptoms are the same as in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and include being easily startled, having intrusive thoughts, memories, or dreams about traumatic events, and avoidance of things that trigger those memories. Nurses experiencing these symptoms should seek help from a mental health professional.
Helpful types of therapy for burnout and secondary trauma include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), internal family systems, and eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR). It is important to find a therapist who is a good fit for your needs; fortunately, there are therapists available with many different skills and areas of expertise. Start your search by using a free online therapy directory.
Final Thoughts
Nurses face extremely difficult situations every day; still, they show up for their patients with kindness and compassion. Nurse burnout can be difficult to overcome, but fortunately, there are ways to move forward and stay healthy. The world needs kind, smart, and compassionate nurses, and you deserve to take good care of yourself.
For Further Reading
- American Nurses Association
- The Emotional PPE Project
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Live Online Chat
- SAMHSA
- Mental Health Foundation
- The Insight Timer
Nurse Burnout Infographics
