Nurses and caregivers in the healthcare industry are critically important to patient well-being. They’re the primary touchpoint for those needing care and their families, and they’re often the ones helping navigate important care decisions. However, a caregiving job can be challenging, as many patients are thrust into unexpected situations requiring informed decision making and emotional weight.
Even nursing in maternity wards where families welcome new babies can be challenging. “When it’s happy, it’s really happy. But when it’s sad, it can be overwhelmingly sad,” said one nurse commenting on the challenges of her job.
The nature of the job lends itself to burnout, and caregiver burnout is a critical issue facing the healthcare industry. As healthcare leaders, we have a responsibility to support the well-being of our nursing and caregiving staff.
Without our nurses and caregivers doing what they do best, patient outcomes are negatively affected.
Burnout is rampant in healthcare
According to the American Nurses Foundation in a 2023 survey of 7,400 nurses, 56% of nurses experience burnout, including emotional exhaustion, and 64% say they feel “a great deal of stress because of their job.”
Compared to other healthcare workers, nurses experience higher levels of job burnout and lower levels of job satisfaction, with deteriorating working conditions. In another study, 91% of nurses reported experiencing burnout and low job satisfaction.
Burnout doesn’t only affect the mental health of caregivers. Research shows that burnout causes:
- A decrease in care quality
- An increase in medical errors
- Increased recovery times for patients
- Lower patient satisfaction scores
- Lower healthcare productivity
Causes and risk factors
A systematic review in the Journal of Clinical Nursing identified key factors contributing to nurse burnout. The study identified key causes of burnout, including:
- High workload
- Lack of social support
- Poor leadership
- The emotional demands of the job
The COVID-19 pandemic did not help matters much. Another study found that ICU nurses experienced significantly higher rates of burnout due to the increased care demands during the pandemic. Inadequate personal protective equipment and fear of infection also raised stress levels.
Economic impact
Burnout is estimated to cost the healthcare system at least $4.6 billion annually, and a hospital spends an expected $16,736 per nurse per year employed on nurse burnout-attributed turnover costs.
Long-term effects
Researchers found that burnout symptoms among healthcare workers can persist for months or even years, emphasizing the need for sustained support and intervention strategies.
Identifying caregiver burnout
Leaders in the healthcare industry must recognize the signs of burnout and intervene quickly. When seeing signs of burnout in your caregiving staff, leaders must act quickly and follow up on nurses’ well-being. Identifying signs of burnout quickly can help. Leaders can watch for:
Changes in performance and behavior
Watch for decreased productivity, increased errors, or a decline in the quality of patient care. Burnout often manifests as detachment from work, decreased empathy towards patients, or increased cynicism. Leaders should note if typically engaged employees become withdrawn or irritable with colleagues and patients.
Physical and emotional signs
Burnout can present physical symptoms like frequent headaches, fatigue, or increased susceptibility to illness. Emotionally, caregivers may exhibit signs of anxiety, depression, or mood swings. Pay attention to changes in demeanor, such as a usually upbeat nurse becoming consistently negative or a typically calm caregiver displaying uncharacteristic outbursts.
Absenteeism and turnover
An uptick in sick days, tardiness, or requests for time off can signal burnout. Similarly, increased turnover rates or expressions of desire to leave the profession entirely are red flags. Leaders should track these patterns both individually and team-wide.
Team dynamics
Observe how team members interact. Burnout can strain relationships, leading to increased conflicts or a communication breakdown. A once-cohesive team becoming fragmented or less collaborative may indicate underlying stress and burnout.
How to lessen caregiver burnout
Realizing that burnout is likely for all caregivers is critical for leaders hoping to protect their key healthcare workers. It is important to look for signs of burnout and intervene quickly and often. Rather than seeing burnout as a problem to be solved, look instead to constant stresses and implement methods to alleviate the causes of burnout.
Know the whole person
It is important to realize that caregivers are more than just nurses and healthcare practitioners. Understanding the multidimensionality of the person performing key organizational roles is critical.
Each of your caregivers has come into healthcare for a reason, but not all of them are motivated similarly. Assessments like Motivation Code can help you identify your caregivers’ motivations so that you can best structure their role in a way where they are tapping into their unique Motivational Dimensions. In this way, they bring their core motivations to patient care, lessening the stresses of the job.
Optimize your organization for your people
A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that organizational-level interventions, such as workload reduction and increased job control, were more effective in reducing burnout than individual-level interventions alone.
When you use the understanding of your key caregivers’ Motivational Dimensions to inform organizational structures and team dynamics, you can set up your teams for greater success.
Foster a supportive culture
Create an environment where caregivers feel valued and supported. Encourage open communication, provide mentoring programs, and recognize excellent work. Learn which Motivational Dimensions best support each other, and team complimentary team members with each other.
Prioritize self-care
Promote self-care as an organizational value. Offer wellness programs, stress management training, and resources for mental health support. Ensure staff can take needed breaks and time off.
Improve workflow efficiency
Streamline administrative tasks and documentation requirements. Invest in technologies and processes that reduce redundant work and allow more time for patient care. If you have an Optimizer on your team, they’ll be most motivated to find efficiencies that benefit the entire team.
Provide opportunities for growth
Offer ongoing education, skill development, and career advancement pathways. Support caregivers in pursuing their professional goals and interests. Some Motivational Dimensions need more learning opportunities than others. When you’re leading Learners, it’s essential to allow them the flexibility to investigate new opportunities for learning and growth to keep them motivated.
Address workplace violence and harassment
Implement strong policies and training to prevent and respond to violence or harassment against staff. Some patients may be under extreme duress during health events, and caregivers are on the front lines when dealing with emotionally charged behavior. Ensure caregivers feel safe in their work environment.
Listen and respond to feedback
Regularly solicit input from frontline staff on their needs and challenges. Act on this feedback to make meaningful improvements. Demonstrate psychological safety by ensuring that any feedback is welcome and acted upon, and ensure your team members never receive retribution for providing feedback.
Lead by example
Model healthy work habits and self-care practices. Be visible and available to support staff, and show humility that you’re working on self-care and self-knowledge every day. When you prioritize self empowerment, your team will intuitively follow.
Understanding your people is key to navigating burnout
By implementing these strategies, healthcare leaders can create an environment that supports caregiver well-being and helps prevent burnout. This not only benefits our dedicated professionals but also improves patient care and organizational outcomes.
Bring Motivation Code into your organization to uncover opportunities to defeat burnout in your caregivers. Contact our team to learn more.
