015: Nursing Research: Burnout with Dr. Michele Lee

Burnout can sneak up on you. It happens in subtle, yet harmful, ways that present as both physical and behavioral symptoms (e.g. exhaustion, headaches, anger, loss of joy). And it’s especially common to hear about nurses being unhappy in fast-paced areas such an ER, ICU, and L&D. Burnout, if not addressed, often leads to frequent turnover—nurses looking to go to another hospital or to leave the field entirely.

In today’s episode, Dr. Michele Lee talks with us about why this happens, and how to prevent it. When nurses don’t feel supported, when they don’t feel prepared, when they are thrown to the wolves, when no one is checking in on them … This is when burnout leads to intent to leave. The most important thing that a hospital can do is provide a nurturing environment for growth, support, training, and celebration of achievements. 

Investing in nurses and their quality of life, both professionally and personally, leads to higher retention rates and happier employees. Dr. Lee is going to share how she achieves this at Sentara Healthcare and tips for how other hospitals can do the same.

What’s in this episode:

• Dr. Lee’s findings from her research on nurse burnout and how it affects intent to leave
• What burnout looks like (and why managers and leaders should know the signs)
• How high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization drive nurses away
• How unhappy employees and high turnover leads to time and money spent on retraining and reestablishing relationships
• The ways that a strong orientation program drive success for both the employer and employees
• The characteristics of a strong orientation program (take notes!)
• The importance of growing leaders
• Finding what works for you to maintain your physical, mental, and emotional wellness

 

For more resources, head to www.wellnesswarriors.healthcare. If you are an RN, you can receive Nursing Professional Development (NCPD) credits by going to www.wellnesswarriors.healthcare and click “Receive NCPD credit”.

The Mentor-Facilitated Training Award Dissemination Project was funded by NIDA CTN DI in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).