Nurse Leader Burnout: How to Find Your Joy

Abstract

Although not new, there is an increasing interest in the effects and consequences of burnout syndrome, 1 Moss M Good VS Gozal D Kleinpell R Sessler CN An official Critical Care Societies Collaborative statement-burnout syndrome in critical care health-care professionals: a call for action. Chest. 2016; 150: 17-26 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (135) Google Scholar as well as the other end of the spectrum of engagement, satisfaction, and joy in the workplace. 2 Perlo J Balik B Swensen S Kabcenell A Landsman J Feeley D IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work. Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Cambridge, MA2017 Google Scholar Burnout, defined as a state of continuous psychological stress within work life, 3 Leiter MP Maslach C Nurse turnover: the mediating role of burnout. J Nurs Manag. 2009; 17: 331-339 Crossref PubMed Scopus (430) Google Scholar has been identified as having a negative impact on patients, 4 Welp A Meier LL Manser T Emotional exhaustion and workload predict clinician-rated and objective patient safety. Front Psychol. 2015; 5: 1573 Crossref PubMed Scopus (191) Google Scholar the workforce, 5 Stimpfel AW Sloane DM Aiken LH The longer the shifts for hospital nurses, the higher the levels of burnout and patient dissatisfaction. Health Aff (Millwood). 2012; 31: 2501-2509 Crossref PubMed Scopus (256) Google Scholar and organizations. 6 Han SS Han JW An YS Lim SH Effects of role stress on nurses' turnover intentions: The mediating effects of organizational commitment and burnout. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2015; 12: 287-296 Crossref PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar To date, much of the burnout research and discussion has been concentrated on the frontline and direct care nursing staff. However, it is important to note that nurse leaders operate within the same at-risk environments while also carrying the burden of disciplinary, organizational, and operational stress. The health care setting has unique characteristics that provide high potential for nurses to experience burnout. 7 Cañadas-De La Fuente GA Vargas C San Luis C García I Cañadas GR Fuente EI Risk factors and prevalence of burnout syndrome in the nursing profession. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015; 52: 240-249 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (265) Google Scholar , 8 Corsino de Paiva L Gomes Canário AC Corsino de Paiva China EL Monteiro BR Gonçalves da Silveira AK Risk factors identification for burnout syndrome in nurses. Int Arch Med. 2016; 9 (ISSN: 1755-7682.) Google Scholar Conversely, nurses can derive joy from their work and garner compassion satisfaction, potentially reducing burnout. 9 Stamm BH The ProQOL (Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue). http://www.proqol.org Google Scholar The joy or compassion satisfaction a nurse leader derives from their work may look different than a direct care provider who interacts daily with a patient. Although not new, there is an increasing interest in the effects and consequences of burnout syndrome, 1 Moss M Good VS Gozal D Kleinpell R Sessler CN An official Critical Care Societies Collaborative statement-burnout syndrome in critical care health-care professionals: a call for action. Chest. 2016; 150: 17-26 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (135) Google Scholar as well as the other end of the spectrum of engagement, satisfaction, and joy in the workplace. 2 Perlo J Balik B Swensen S Kabcenell A Landsman J Feeley D IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work. Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Cambridge, MA2017 Google Scholar Burnout, defined as a state of continuous psychological stress within work life, 3 Leiter MP Maslach C Nurse turnover: the mediating role of burnout. J Nurs Manag. 2009; 17: 331-339 Crossref PubMed Scopus (430) Google Scholar has been identified as having a negative impact on patients, 4 Welp A Meier LL Manser T Emotional exhaustion and workload predict clinician-rated and objective patient safety. Front Psychol. 2015; 5: 1573 Crossref PubMed Scopus (191) Google Scholar the workforce, 5 Stimpfel AW Sloane DM Aiken LH The longer the shifts for hospital nurses, the higher the levels of burnout and patient dissatisfaction. Health Aff (Millwood). 2012; 31: 2501-2509 Crossref PubMed Scopus (256) Google Scholar and organizations. 6 Han SS Han JW An YS Lim SH Effects of role stress on nurses' turnover intentions: The mediating effects of organizational commitment and burnout. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2015; 12: 287-296 Crossref PubMed Scopus (50) Google Scholar To date, much of the burnout research and discussion has been concentrated on the frontline and direct care nursing staff. However, it is important to note that nurse leaders operate within the same at-risk environments while also carrying the burden of disciplinary, organizational, and operational stress. The health care setting has unique characteristics that provide high potential for nurses to experience burnout. 7 Cañadas-De La Fuente GA Vargas C San Luis C García I Cañadas GR Fuente EI Risk factors and prevalence of burnout syndrome in the nursing profession. Int J Nurs Stud. 2015; 52: 240-249 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (265) Google Scholar , 8 Corsino de Paiva L Gomes Canário AC Corsino de Paiva China EL Monteiro BR Gonçalves da Silveira AK Risk factors identification for burnout syndrome in nurses. Int Arch Med. 2016; 9 (ISSN: 1755-7682.) Google Scholar Conversely, nurses can derive joy from their work and garner compassion satisfaction, potentially reducing burnout. 9 Stamm BH The ProQOL (Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue). http://www.proqol.org Google Scholar The joy or compassion satisfaction a nurse leader derives from their work may look different than a direct care provider who interacts daily with a patient.