Preventing and Managing Burnout in Nursing: Evidence-Based Strategies for Self-Care and Support

       Burnout is a prevalent issue being faced by the nursing profession. It is a kind of stress that could affect the nursing staff’s emotional, physical, and mental health. According to the World Health Organization, burnout can result to depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and reduced personal accomplishment.

        Burnout in the nursing profession can result from different aspects such as work, organization, or from the nursing staff themselves. There has been studies stating that the lack of support from the organization and co-workers may lead to burnout. Aside from this, low salary and lack of benefits may lead to stress and work dissatisfaction (Shimizu et al., 2018).

        Giving support to the nursing staff and dealing with the issues brought by burnout are a few of the essential solutions to resolve this issue in the nursing profession. The government and organization need to give sufficient support and protection for the health and safety of the nursing stuff. In addition, appropriate salaries and benefits to keep the staff satisfied and motivated (Khamisa et al., 2015).

        On the other hand, there are also self-management techniques that can be done by the nursing staff in order to prevent burnout. This could involve allotting time for self-care like eating a healthy diet and getting sufficient rest as much as possible. Aside from this, nurses may look into other stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, and other physical activities (Garcia-Sierra et al, 2016).

        
In the end, we need to work together in order to resolve the issue of burnout in the nursing profession. We need to ensure that we are given enough protection, support, and are valued in order to prevent burnout and be able to render appropriate healthcare services.

Here are some evidence-based strategies that nurses can implement to prevent burnout:

1.     Proper Time Management

·       Proper time management is an essential self-management strategy to prevent burnout. Nurses need to give themselves enough time for self-care needs like eating a health diet and getting sufficient rest (Garcia-Sierra et al., 2016).

2.      Physical Exercise

·       Regular exercise is beneficial in preventing burnout. According to Sun et al. (2018), regular exercise can lower the levels of stress, depression, and anxiety among nursing staff.

3.     Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

·       This is a form of therapy that is focused on being on the present through meditation, yoga and other relaxation techniques for the mind and avoidance of boredom. According to Kim, Han, & Lee (2019), MBSR can prevent burnout by decreasing emotional exhaustion, depersonalization among nursing staff.

4.     Eating a Health Diet

·       Eating foods rich in antioxidants like fruits and vegetables can aid in lowering stress (Tang & Chan, 2016). These foods rich in antioxidants include dark chocolate, berries, nuts, and green vegetables. These protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation which are contributors to burnout (Mishra et al., 2018; Varghese et al., 2015). It is important to note that these antioxidant rich foods could boost the immune system, lower cortisol levels, and improve overall mental health.

5.     Counseling

·       Nursing staff who underwent counseling tend to have lower levels of burnout compared to those who did not underwent counseling (Mackenzie, Poulin, & Seidman-Carlson, 2006). Counseling someone who underwent burnout is a multifaceted approach as both the physical and emotional aspects of burnout have to be address. When speaking to a staff experiencing this, it is important to first identify the symptoms and severity then offer support and validation to the nurse and provide practical strategies for stress management and self-care improvement. It will be best also to refer the nurse to a counselor or therapist which may do Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (Huang et al., 2018; Pidgeon et al., 2014).

6.     Support Group

·       Being a part of a support group can help in the reduction of emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization among the nursing staff (O’Brien & Shapiro, 2017). Nurses who participate in support groups have reported feeling less isolated, more engaged in their work, and more resilient in the face of stress and burnout.

7.     Use of Humor

·       It was found to reduce the level of the contributing factors to burnout such as improve mood, increase social support, and reduce stress levels (Tobin et al., 2017). Nurses who use humor as coping mechanism were also found to have reported feeling less emotionally exhausted and depersonalized, they also had a more positive attitude towards their work (Koutsimani et al., 2019). It should be noted however, that this technique must be used appropriately and in a respectful manger, as it can become a source of conflict and tension in the workplace.

8.     Work-life Balance

·       Nurses need to be able to have sufficient time for their family and friends (Walter, Plaumann, & Awa, 2019). Strategies in achieving work-life balance include setting realistic goals and priorities, delegating tasks, and practicing self-care. Nurses should prioritize their own physical and emotional health by getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food, as well as engaging in activities that could promote relaxation. It is also important to learn how to set boundaries and manage workload (Hunsaker et al., 2015). These support groups can also assist in implementing flexible scheduling and planning and conducting employee wellness programs.

 

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