Seeing Yourself in the Symptoms: A Compassionate Look at Burnout

Working in pain management has its challenges ( as does working in many specialties). Recently, I presented the following symptoms to a room of pain management nurses and asked them to identify which person they associated with these characteristics. 

•Fatigue

•Loss of purpose

•Injury to identity

•Desire to feel better

•Strained relationships

•Frustration with self

•Abandonment of other goals

What comes to mind for you? 

Their response was patients with chronic pain, and they aren’t wrong. These are hardships that many patients with chronic pain face. They are exhausted; it affects their ability to fulfill their life roles and their relationships with their loved ones.

But it isn’t the only answer.

These characteristics are also those of a nurse struggling with burnout. Read them again through this lens and see if you have ever experienced some of them.

•Fatigue

•Loss of purpose

•Injury to identity

•Desire to feel better

•Strained relationships

•Frustration with self

•Abandonment of other goals

Much like patients with chronic pain, we find ourselves in a very difficult situation, circumstances of which we may have little control and with limited skills to deal with them. It can feel very overwhelming, as if you are at the mercy of something you can’t predict and can’t control. 

Maybe these symptoms don’t speak to you, but they are not the only ones. Burnout Syndrome is also characterized by difficulties with the ability to

• Complete household chores

• Participate in fun and leisure activities

• Maintain general life satisfaction

• Concentration

• Difficulties with sleep

Hitting a little closer to home?

Keep in mind, burnout operates on a spectrum; it’s not necessarily an all-or-nothing situation, a dead-or-alive scenario. You may find yourself trending toward burnout when you become familiar with some of these signs and symptoms. Sure, it may manifest as experiencing a lack of empathy or disconnect at work OR you may be getting through the workday adequately only to come home completely devoid of any emotional or physical capacity to do more.

I’m here to tell you it’s ok. The majority of nurses go through this at least once during their career, and often can go in and out of feeling this way. 

But like our patients with chronic pain, there are ways to thrive DESPITE the situation. There are tools that we can use to change our experiences even if the circumstances don’t change.

But before we jump into fixing, we have to start with understanding and compassion.

Nothing is wrong with you if you identify with these characteristics or symptoms. Burnout syndrome is a known “risk factor” of nursing. If we want to truly feel better, we have to let the self-judgement go. 

Just because you could do more doesn’t mean you should. Saying no IS productive if it is a means to restoring your soul. 

Acknowledge how you are feeling. Observe with compassion the impact that it is having on your life.

You don’t have to snap out of it. You don’t have to push through. 

There are a ton of posts if you are looking for the tools to feel better- you can find them at www.NursingBeyondtheJob.com/blog or with a quick google search. 

But not today, you can’t start fixing without knowing where you are. 

It always starts with assessment. On a scale of 0-10, with 0 being burnt out and 10 being thriving, where are you?

Why did you pick that number? What are you truly feeling and why?

Can you feel compassion for the nurse who is feeling that way? 

Can you give her some time to grieve and express herself before jumping into judgment or fix-it mode? Can you let her be with it for a little while?

Taking time to do this is taking time to acknowledge your worth and acknowledge your humanity. 

You can be ok- but first you need to be where you are.

With so much understanding and compassion-

Megan

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If you really can’t drum up some compassion for yourself, please reach out. Figuring out this first step is the key to healing and I am here to help you through it if you need support. Email me at Megan@NursingBeyondTheJob.com to schedule a time to connect. We can explore ways to help you change your inner narrative to one that supports you instead of bringing you down.