Stress and Burnout in Nursing Essay Example

Introduction

In the course of executing their roles, nurses are usually faced with a lot of stressful events. These stresses ultimately lead to burnout which affects their ability to play their roles effectively. The burnout does not only affect their quality of life at the workplace but it also negatively impacts them when they are away from the work environment. In extreme cases, some of the nursing professionals opt to resign. Nurses suffering from burnout do not derive accomplishment from their jobs. They are also physically and emotionally exhausted and if the situation is not addressed, they may suffer from depression. Stress and burnout is a common issue in the nursing profession and it requires a concerted effort by various stakeholders so that the nurses can be more productive.

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How Role Stress and Burnout Affects Nursing Care

Emotionally exhausted nurses cannot perform optimally at the workplace. They cannot properly engage with their colleagues which affects service delivery. The patients are the ones who mostly bear the brunt of their exhaustion and frustrations. Fatigued nurses view their patients as objects (Lyndon, 2016). Role strain is a big threat to patient safety and care. Strained nurses are highly depersonalized and cannot interact properly with the patients. Nurses suffering from burnout are very likely to make mistakes in the course of administering their duties. They also mostly focus on the most urgent and pressing tasks which leads to unfavorable health outcomes. The reduced mental functionality places patients at great risk. The burned out nurses also have a negative attitude towards their work environment and patients which leads to a lack of investment in patient care. A few scholars have argued that some of the ethical frameworks contribute to the burnout experienced by some nurses.

Autonomy is one of the ethical frameworks underlying the nursing profession. In most instances, patient autonomy usually trumps other considerations. It has been argued that this framework has turned nurses and other physicians into mere servants whose main duty is to fulfill patient requests (Curtin, 2016). Such frameworks greatly contribute to the problem being experienced by nurses and they need to be reviewed. The nurse-patient relationship needs to be conceived differently so that the problem of burnout can be alleviated. The nursing environment and the patient-nurse relationship needs to be one that is governed by mutual respect and understanding. There are also hospitals which overwork nurses beyond the legal limit. The overworking usually results from understaffing whereby nurses are assigned a wide variety of roles than they can handle. One effective way of managing role strain is to separate one's professional life from their home life. Nurses should exercise regularly, maintain a balanced diet and get adequate rest when they are away from work. Nurses are also encouraged to have hobbies and learn some relaxation techniques which can help them relieve stress.

Issues Leading to Nurse Burnout

One of the main causes of nurse burnout is too many tasks. Nurses at the workplace are tasked with very many responsibilities than they can handle. Many of them are expected to administer medication, carry out bedside procedures and coordinate patient care among other duties. The very many responsibilities expected of nurses are overwhelming and in most instances, cannot be carried in a single shift. Most nurses work 12-hour shifts and are usually engrossed in their work that it becomes difficult to take the much needed breaks in the course of their duties. The various tasks and responsibilities ultimately lead to burnout. The multiple responsibilities not only cause burnout but also job dissatisfaction. Nurses working in demanding environments such as emergency departments are more susceptible to nurse burnout (Wood, 2014). Such nurses have to deal with the emotional strain of losing patients combined with heightened work load. The problem of overworking is caused by understaffing and short-staffing. In cases of short-staffing, nurses usually have to perform a majority of tasks that are normally performed by other people yet the people who are assisted cannot play the nurses' role. The issue of nurses taking on other people's roles can be solved by hiring more qualified staff who will be dedicated to fulfilling specific roles. The issue of short-staffing usually results from cost-cutting measures by hospital management and in many cases, it forces the nurses to leave the profession.

The other issue that leads to nurse burnout is underpayment. Duties carried out by nurses are emotionally and physically draining. Most nurses do not feel like they are fairly rewarded for the work they do. Many nurses usually have to take on roles that would be performed by other people under normal circumstances. In some instances, nurses have had to forfeit holidays and family events because of their demanding roles. Some nurses have had to take up extra shifts in a bid to supplement the income they receive. Nurses' salaries need to be constantly reviewed so that they can be fairly rewarded for the effort and energy they put into the profession.

Personal Straining Experience

My nursing profession has exposed me to many stressful work conditions. I have had to devise ingenious ways of dealing with the stress and burnout so as not to fall into depression. On one fateful day, I reported to my place of work as usual. I worked in the emergency department alongside other nurses and assistants. Many of us had gotten used to the stressful work conditions and believed we were immune to burnout. However, on that day, I realized, after a few minutes of arriving at work that two of my colleagues were missing. I asked around and was told that they would not be showing up on that day due to other personal commitments which they had to attend to. I naturally assumed that their positions would be filled by other nurses from other departments since the emergency department was very demanding. However, after working for a few hours, it dawned on me that we would be doing all the work by ourselves. I talked to the supervisor and I was informed that we had to make do with that was available since the hospital was already overstretched on resources. I worked so much that I could barely find time to break for lunch. When I finally did find time, I called my friends and listened to some of my favorite songs. I felt rejuvenated and was able to continue working for the rest of the day.

Nursing is a very demanding profession and has caused stress and burnout to many nurses. Many hospitals are understaffed which forces nurses to take on a variety of roles. This drains them and forces many of them to leave the profession. Hospitals' management need to stop their cost-cutting measures and hire more staff so that nurses can have a fulfilling work environment. The nurses' remuneration is also not reflective of the work they do and their salaries need to be reviewed upwards. Nurses are also encouraged to take on hobbies and report cases of depression early enough so that they can be remedied.

References

Curtin, L. (2016, April). American Nurse Today official Journal of the American Nurses Association (ANA). Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/conversation-ethics-staffing/

Lyndon, A. (2016, February). Burnout Among Health Professionals and Its Effect on Patient Safety | AHRQ Patient Safety Network. Retrieved from https://psnet.ahrq.gov/perspectives/perspective/190/burnout-among-health-professionals-and-its-effect-on-patient-safety

Wood, D. (2014, March). 10 Best Practices for Addressing Ethical Issues and Moral Distress. Retrieved from https://www.amnhealthcare.com/latest-healthcare-news/10-best-practices-addressing-ethical-issues-moral-distress/