10/25/2024
Nurses working in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and clinics report facing various challenges in their daily work. According to NPR, burnout levels are very high, especially among nurses and medical assistants who were on the front lines of care during the COVID-19 crisis, and are compounded by short-staffing and unmanageable workloads.
While burnout is generally thought of as fatigue, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as a syndrome resulting from workplace stress that has not been managed successfully. Sufferers have feelings of exhaustion, negative or cynical feelings towards their jobs, and reduced professional efficacy.
Increasing burnout levels have even affected nursing students’ perception of the profession. A 2021 survey of 571 nursing students and nurses conducted by Cross Country Healthcare and Florida Atlantic University's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing showed that 2/3 of respondents shared some interest in leaving the profession. This was due to burnout (24%), insufficient nursing staff (17%), overwork and stress (13%), unsatisfactory pay or benefits (12%), and unsafe or unsatisfactory working conditions (7%).
For nurses who provide critical patient care, burnout can be dangerous. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, told NPR, “It’s not good for their mental health; it’s not good for the work environment. There’s increased chance for mistakes, medication errors.”
If you are a nurse in a facility dealing with burnout or a nursing student concerned about entering the profession, home care nursing could be a great opportunity.
Home care nurses have more freedom and autonomy than traditional nursing roles. You’ll have the flexibility to choose your schedule and work with one patient on a long-term basis or multiple patients. Home care nurses also have a chance to focus on a holistic, targeted approach to patient care. It can also be an entry-level job, so as long as you have the proper education and credentials – home care can be a great way to jumpstart your career.
Read more here: https://www.maximhealthcare.com/healthcare-blog/home-care-provides-flexibility-for-burned-out-nurses/
