If you are experiencing stress, you are not alone. People everywhere experience significant stress due to numerous factors, such as remnants of the social, emotional, physical and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic exacerbated stressors inherent to the nursing profession, even as peak times of disruption receded. Of 12,694 nurses who responded to a 2022 survey from the American Nurses Foundation, 75% reported feeling stressed, frustrated and exhausted. Stress leads to burnout and nurses leaving the profession, both being contributing factors to the nation’s ongoing nursing shortage.
You can expand the knowledge, skills and credentials needed to be selective in job choice and successful in your work by completing an online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Finding a job you love and excelling in your role can reduce stress. Plus, the flexible design of programs like the online RN to BSN offered by Northwest Missouri State University can help you alleviate stress factors while completing your studies. Yet nursing is still inherently stressful, and if you seek a long and rewarding career in the field, mitigating stress is of utmost importance.
The Cyclical Relationship of Stress and Burnout
Unrelenting stress can leave one feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, dissatisfied and physically exhausted — all signs of burnout. Stress results from too much pressure and too many sources of pressure. Burnout is the culmination of exhaustion and prolonged stress, resulting in a distinct lack of energy, motivation and the ability to keep doing one’s work effectively. If not addressed, burnout causes more stress, further deepening levels of burnout to the point it can become overwhelming.
Cope With Stress Intentionally to Avoid Burnout
Burnout is a gradual process that does not happen overnight. Develop a plan to protect yourself from burnout. Try these seven simple tips to better cope with stress and build resilience:
- Try to breathe. Taking just a few deep abdominal breaths can reduce anxiety and stress. Deep breathing promotes a state of calmness by increasing oxygen supply to the brain and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. Five minutes, four times a day, even while doing the dishes or using the bathroom, can help you feel calmer and more in control. Inhale for five seconds, hold for five and exhale for five.
- Improve your nutrition. Good eating habits are hard to maintain on long workdays when you may barely even have time to go to the restroom. Yet, poor nutrition can increase risk of depression, anxiety and irritability and may contribute to higher nurse burnout rates. Start small with these three simple ways to eat healthier: plan and pack your food, limit treats, and track what you eat.
- Drink more water. Dehydration contributes to depression and anxiety and increases stress in your body. Boost your water intake to improve your mental health. Carry water to work. Add fruit to your diet like the combination of frozen blueberries and orange slices. Log your water intake, aiming for about two liters a day.
- Find fresh air. Working inside all day can have a detrimental effect on mental health. Sunshine and nature can help you relax and feel relieved. As little as 10 minutes outside with nature can help you feel happier and lessen the physical and mental effects of stress.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep and stress have a circular relationship. If you are stressed or worried, you cannot unwind at night. Without adequate sleep, you cannot manage a stressful situation. Consistently getting a good night’s sleep improves your physical and mental health. Log your sleep to figure out how many hours you need to feel your best. Some simple tips on getting more sleep are going to bed at a consistent time each day, limiting screen time before bed and being smart about napping.
- Set healthy boundaries. Boundaries are the borders around your care that mark the line between therapeutic and non-professional relationships. Setting boundaries for your personal and professional life can have positive effects on your patients’ well-being, too. Nurses often walk a fine line between compassion and overinvolvement. When you cross a boundary, it can be harmful to your well-being and lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, moral distress and even mental health issues.
- Seek out help when you need it. It is okay to seek professional help. Finding help now, instead of, is essential to your emotional well-being. Communication is as necessary for your personal health as it is for your performance on the job. Check out the resources your organization offers. Happy, 7 Cups, Talkspace and BetterHelp are four of many apps where you can receive support and encouragement at any time of the day.
You are most vulnerable to stress when you are not taking care of yourself. Make sure you maintain a healthy balance with clear lines between your professional and personal life. Take an inventory of your personal health to refuel, restore and re-engage. When nurses care for their own health, they can better care for patients.
Learn more about Northwest’s online RN to BSN program.
