11 tips to balance empathy without burning out
There’s no doubt about it, nursing can be both physically and emotionally draining. The constant stress of trying to complete all of your patient care tasks while balancing the need to provide support and empathy to your patients and family can become exhausting.
“While nursing in general can be very taxing, being there for your patients and providing support and empathy is what fills the bucket at the end of the day,” says Joshua Beerman, BSN, RN, supervisor in the Solid Organ Transplant Unit at Nebraska Medical Center.
Getting to know your patients and being with them through the good and the bad is an important part of nursing, but it’s also an aspect of nursing that can take an emotional toll and lead to burnout.
While there’s not a lot you can do to make your job easier, there are some things you can do to help prevent burnout and keep your job satisfying and rewarding. Seasoned nurses at Nebraska Medicine offer these tips.
Remember why you’re here
Don’t sweat the small stuff and always keep in mind the big picture.
“When you start feeling overwhelmed, you need to stop and remember why you got into nursing,” says Beerman. “It’s bigger than ourselves. This can be an incredibly difficult time for the patient and we are there to help shoulder that burden for them while they are in the hospital. Taking time to connect with them by sitting and talking to them can make all the difference in the world. This is a moment in a patient’s life where they may just need to talk to a familiar face for comfort and support and know they’ve been heard.”
Find a purpose
It’s important to remember that your goals for each patient may vary and sometimes may not be as significant as you’d like. Your goals may also need to change as your roles change.
“Sometimes you may feel like you’re just a cog in the wheel,” says Mary Clarke, RN, PRN nurse. “It’s not always possible to save every patient or prevent them from dying. That’s why it’s so important to find ways to make a positive impact on your patients that will make you feel good about what you’re doing from day to day.”
As a PRN nurse, Clarke says she can’t always see the big changes she’d like to see in her patients since she is not there on a consistent basis, so she decided awhile back that it was time to change her goals. Her new focus is striving to be the best patient advocate she can be.
“I try to answer my patients’ questions, solve their problems or connect the dots,” says Clarke. “Knowing that I have helped them solve some of these puzzles is where I get my satisfaction now.”
Take breaks
Working for long periods of time without breaks can lead to stress and exhaustion. Taking breaks, even small ones, are essential to maintain your performance throughout the day.
“Taking breaks during the day is necessary to allow yourself to take a deep breath, collect yourself and regroup, especially if you’ve experienced an especially emotional or difficult situation,” says Richard Villarreal, BSN, RN, nurse supervisor for the Solid Organ Transplant Unit. “Allow yourself that time as it will help you be more effective for the remaining part of the day.”
Take care of yourself
Sometimes nurses are so busy taking care of everyone else they forget to take care of themselves. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy and exercising will help give your body more energy to tackle each day more successfully.
“You’re not good to anyone if your own bucket is empty,” notes Clarke. In addition to your personal health, Clarke also recommends taking time to do things for yourself away from work whether it’s pursuing a hobby, exercising or other interest. You also need to allow time for a social life and nurturing relationships with friends and family to maintain a healthy balance in your life.
Don’t take it with you
Having a sense of closure each day will allow you to move on and enjoy the other parts of your life when you leave work each day.
“When you finish a shift, leave it there – knowing you did your best and move on with the rest your day so you can focus on the other important people in your life,” says Clarke.
Be aware of how you’re feeling and how it’s affecting your relationship with those around you, notes Villarreal. Sometimes it may be helpful to talk about your day with someone, instead of keeping it all inside and shutting down completely, he advises.
Make a change
A change in environment can do wonders. If you’ve been on the same floor for a long time or maybe it’s just not a good fit for you, you may want to consider moving to a new area or unit, suggests Clarke.
“There are so many opportunities in nursing,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to try new things. Changing areas can be scary at first but it can also give you a fresh attitude and may help you find your special niche.”
Share your feelings
Connecting with others on your floor and sharing your feelings can not only help release pent up emotions, but it will help others understand you and can provide a sense of comfort and calmness.
“It takes a special person to be a nurse,” Beerman notes. “It’s definitely a calling. But some people can cope better with the stresses of the job than others. Still others try to pretend they have it all together. The important thing to remember is that you need to have those dialogues with other colleagues in the department to express your feelings. Knowing that someone else has had similar experiences, challenges or feelings can help you get through a difficult time.”
Using your co-workers as a support system is an important part of the team environment we encourage at Nebraska Medicine, notes Villarreal. “Don’t try to shoulder the burden yourself. Remember that your colleagues are there to help you through the hard times and acknowledging your feelings will help take some of the burden off.”
Ask for help
Delegate when possible so you can be more effective. There are some things that can be done by a nurse assistant or tech to free up time for you to complete the bigger patient care tasks.
“Nursing is a team sport,” says Beerman. “Not asking for help doesn’t make you a better nurse. Instead, it may force you to take shortcuts and may jeopardize your patient’s safety.”
Likewise, you can be a support person to your colleagues as well. Check in with each other and be aware of others’ needs. “If you happen to have some extra time, offer to help another colleague who may be having a difficult day,” suggests Beerman.
Be realistic
Setting realistic goals about what you can accomplish will help keep you motivated and feeling good about your abilities and achievements at the end of each day.
“Some nurses think they need to be able to fix every patient and make them better,” says Villarreal. “But it’s not being realistic. Let your patients know that although you might not be able to take away all of their pain, you can try to make it better.”
Pair up with a mentor
A good mentor can facilitate your success and bolster your confidence.
“Having a mentor gives you someone to talk to when you are upset, frustrated or down,” says Amber Seidl, BSN, RN, case manager for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “Rarely does anyone as a first year nurse have all of the answers. Your mentor can help you when you are questioning your patient care decisions and it’s someone you can lean on who can guide you through the tough times.”
Recognize burnout
Working lots of hours and picking up extra shifts to increase your income can be tempting, but it can quickly lead to burnout too.
“You need to be self-aware and realize when you need to take some time off to refuel your body and your mind,” says Villarreal. “We have self-stress assessments you can fill out to help you identify stress and burnout.”
If stress seems to be a constant in your work life, consider taking inventory of your stressors. Write them down and come up with ways to alleviate or eliminate them.
In the end, “one thing nurses have is resilience,” says Clarke. “We have to be resilient in order to be able to bounce back and keep doing what we do every day. Most of us were drawn to nursing because we enjoy helping people and knowing we made a difference. If you don’t lose sight of that, it can help make even the most challenging days more bearable.”
