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“Every week I find myself getting distraught over a new favorite patient who isn’t doing well.”

Is this you? As a nurse, you witness the fear, pain and suffering of others every day. But when you get too immersed in the lives and trials of your patients, you can become a victim of “compassion fatigue.” Compassion fatigue is also thought of as “secondary post-traumatic stress.” And once it sets in, you can lose mental energy and get burned out.

How do you know if you’re suffering from compassion fatigue?

• Mistakes go up and job performance goes down.
• You can’t stop thinking about your job or the problems of your patients.
• You have trouble sleeping.
• You have a general feeling of weariness.
• You don’t feel like doing anything—you feel blah.
• You feel less satisfied, less energetic and less efficient.

If you’re unsure whether you suffer from compassion fatigue, it’s time to become more self-aware. Watch how you are reacting to your patients and colleagues…and how they are reacting to you. Are you more sensitive than usual? Are your colleagues getting frustrated with you? Are your patients becoming too clingy? Too familiar? When you recognize how others perceive you and the affect you have on others, you can identify the above symptoms of burnout early.

Use these strategies to cope with job stress and to combat compassion fatigue:

• Exercise. You may feel like you just don’t have time to exercise. The physical and mental benefits of exercise will make you more productive and are worth every minute. [Editor's note: Scrubs Magazine has a great series of articles for quick workouts you can do while on the job].

• Maintain a personal life, even if you don’t feel like it. When you’re stressed, you may tend to eliminate the very things that will revitalize you—like family dinners, eating lunch out, prayer, meditation, or time with friends. Spend time with supportive people.

• Have a sense of humor. People in stressful jobs, such as psychiatric nurses, may often have a wicked sense of humor—but it’s still a sense of humor. When people who work with them recognize they’re joking around less often, it’s a sign that it’s time for a break.

• Set limits between work and home activities. Easier said than done, I know. Don’t play nurse or therapist in personal relationships.

• Broaden your network. Get involved in professional or social organizations where like-minded people meet and discuss events and mutual problems.

Editor’s note: Some of the symptoms that included in this article could be indicators for depression. Please see a mental health professional if you believe you are clinically depressed. Also, it’s okay to show emotion and share it with families and patients, but try your hardest to not get attached to patients too frequently. Sure, there will always be that special patient that touches your heart, but if you’re suffering from compassion fatigue, it is time to reevaluate your role as a professional in these particular peoples’ lives for your own sanity.

Compassion Fatigue Checklist

Additional resources to download:

Fletcher Compassion Fatigue Scoring Sheet (PDF)

Fletcher Compassion Fatigue Assessment (PDF)

Alloy Photography | Veer

It’s the time of the year when we nurses can go overboard for the sake of holiday spirit.

We sleep less, eat more, work more and drive our anxiety levels through the roof.

Here are 5 tips (straight from Kris Kringle himself!) on how we nurses can start enjoying the holidays again.

1. Commercialize, Schmercialize

Remember what the holiday season is really about. It’s clear that Santa does...he’ll listen to your litany of desires, but in the end, he’s all about giving gifts to those on his “nice” list. So remind yourself and your loved ones: It’s not about the next big thing or an expensive gift, indulgences or bragging rights. It’s about sharing, caring and the human condition. It’s about trying to be the people we always hoped to be (and the nurse our patients and coworkers will admire).

2. Be fair to yourself

Be fair–to yourself, that is.  Make time for you. Santa has mastered this…he gives himself 364 days a year to relax and clearly he indulges in plenty of milk and cookies on his one workday. You may not have 364 days to spare, but you should dedicate time for yourself (preferably by a cozy fireplace) as best you can. You’ll be a better nurse when you’ve lost some of that stress.

3. Share

Not just the holiday spirit–share the responsibilities that come along with it. When Santa needs help he turns to his elves, his reindeer, and Mrs. Claus of course. You’re not alone either. Don’t try to do all the baking, cooking, shopping, or planning. Don’t try to take on too many shifts just to “be the nice guy.” Delegate and share.

4. Take it bit by bit

Rome was not built in a day, so don’t try the traditional “power shopping” feat. Santa’s elves keep the workshop open all year so that they’re not crazed the first week of December. There are two ideas here: Don’t worry about trinkets and gifts for your coworkers this year. Instead, donate to a relevant cause like Nurses House. And when it comes to shopping for your family, have the discipline to start earlier next year. I’ve heard some start planning as early as late summer! Wow.

5. Nibble

Do not bite off more than you can chew. Did Santa give YOU everything you asked for when you were a kid? Didn’t think so. He’s conscious of a budget, and you should be, too. Don’t spend so much money that you’re “spending” the entire following year trying to repair the holiday damage. Nurses may be in demand (and we may be the most trusted profession), but we still aren’t paid like Wall Street bankers (isn’t that ironic).

What other wise tips can nurses learn from Santa to keep ourselves sane during the holidays?

Corbis | Veer + Scrubs

It’s also the end of the calendar year, so you subliminally start to measure your eating performance. Did I eat too much junk? Did I gain/lose/maintain that weight I was hoping? Am I setting a good example for patients?

What if none of that mattered? What if–and humor me a minute here–the calories within every sweet treat in the break room didn’t matter?

What if you could eat to your heart’s (and gut’s) content at work without the guilt of packing on the pounds? A superpower sent as a little “thank you” from the karma police for all the hard work we do to take care of people all year round.

Yeah, like I said, humor me here. I’m daring to dream about the nurse’s ultimate holiday “treat”!

Here’s what I’d do…

I would eat every piece of cheesecake I could get my hands on, especially the ones with homemade crust (my great grandma’s is still the best). I would eat every Christmas cookie that crossed my path. I would surround myself with miles of pumpkin roll (without any nuts, please). Oh, and I’d be eating anything that had chocolate in it.

Now, in this fantasy world, those extra calories still have to go somewhere. I’m a nurse after all — biology is biology. My solution: Calories could be “worn” like removable tattoos. At the end of the day, I would simply peel and remove.

My belly is grumbling just thinking about all that darn food.

The truth of the matter is, I have a horrific sweet tooth (we’re jumping back to reality now). No, I don’t live in misery over what I can’t eat, but I do have to exercise a bit of control (okay, a lot). I guess this is my way of poking fun at the idea that even I have to pay attention to what I eat–especially around the holidays!

Eating right can be fun and easy, and heck yeah you still can eat sugary treats. But, unlike the fantasy world I spoke of, there are definitely more permanent consequences to our real-life eating actions.

What do you think? What superpower would you love to have over the holidays?

No matter how professional I am at my job, I carry home the rough circumstances, such as death of a patient or their baby.  Often the tears come long after something tragic has happened in my job. It is important for nurses to understand the way that death and tragedy affects us and make sure we get the help and support we need. It is vital that lay people understand that nurses grieve–yes, differently than the patient, but it is grief none the less. Many times we rely on the people in our lives to pick up the pieces!

I found a wonderful video about the grief we OB nurses feel and how we cope with that grief. I wanted to share it in the hope it helps someone else out there:

Nurses Grieve Too: Insights into Experiences with Perinatal Loss from York University Libraries on Vimeo.

iStockphoto | Thinkstock + Scrubs

First Law: If you have to jack with it, it’s wrong.

We’ve all heard stories about nurses who put oral contrast through central lines or flushed medication into drains. Thankfully, those sorts of mistakes are rare and becoming more so, for one simple reason: Most of what we do has been made foolproof.

That said, if you have to jack with it, it’s wrong. If your syringe doesn’t fit into a particular port or you have to go through myriad mathematical gymnastics to make a medication dosage work out, or if you’re having to reprogram a pump every 30 seconds, take a step back and look at what’s going on. Go through the problem step by step and get a second pair of eyes to look at it with you.

Pay attention to your intuition –>

Image: Max Bolotnikov | iStock Exclusive | Getty Images

A good quote can lift you up when you’re feeling blue. It can inspire you to reach your goals. It can even make you laugh out loud.

As a nurse (or aspiring nurse!), you probably face obstacles every day – whether it’s helping a patient overcome pain, studying for your boards, or facing off against a doctor. If you need to be reminded of why being a nurse is such an amazing experience, take a look at the following quotes for some inspiring words.

A nurse’s worth –>

Medioimages/Photodisc | Valueline | Thinkstock + Scrubs

Nursing can be a stress-laden profession (cue the chorus of “duhs” echoing around the blogosphere…).

But all kidding aside, it’s true. We have to make quick decisions, and if we’re wrong, dire consequences – including death – can be the result! We’re frequently dealing with challenging and demanding “clients” – in pain, disoriented, confused, emotional and short on patience! Typically we’re working in an environment where there is a shortage of staff and all the patients want our attention at the same time!

So, how well are nurses coping with all these stresses found at our workplace? To find out, Scrubs magazine analyzed the results of Work Stress Profile that is located on the Learning Nurse website. This Profile measures the degree of stress faced by nurses on six factors:

1.      Job characteristics – This component measures the degree of stress related to general job characteristics such as work satisfaction, job and employer demands, and problems / tension at work.

2.      Pay and benefits – This measures stress related to compensation and benefits. It includes inadequate pay, poor promotional opportunities, little time off, etc.

3.      Work schedule – This component measures stress related to how your work is scheduled and organized. It includes shift work, long hours, required overtime, etc.

4.      Teamwork – This component measures stress related to working together as a group or team. This includes poor communication, tension and conflict, no co-operation, and unwillingness to help each other.

5.      Supervisors – This measures the degree to which your supervisors cause your stress. Your stress can be increased by supervisors who are rigid, non-supportive and don’t listen or appreciate your contributions.

6.      Productivity – This component measures stress related to any personal problems, issues or commitments that may interfere with you being able to do your job.

To ensure that the work stress results were applicable to the nursing profession, we only used data where the test takers clearly self-identified themselves as a nurse. We also removed records for nursing students, nursing assistants and nursing educators as these numbers were too small to be reliable. The findings reported in this article are therefore based on the responses of 40 Practical Nurses and 51 Registered Nurses (n = 91). In this sample were 7 male nurses, a range of work experience from less than 5 years to more than 26 years, and the respondents worked in hospitals, clinics, continuing and home care and other nursing locations.

Figure 1 shows the average stress scores for the total sample of nurses. Each score was converted to a percent so that the maximum score is 100% and the minimum is 0%. The higher the stress scores are the higher the stress level.

Figure 1: Average Stress Factors Scores for Total

Overall, for this group of nurses, the work stress factors are low to moderate. With an average total stress score of 39 (out of a maximum of 100%), our nurses appear to be coping relatively well. The highest sources work stress is teamwork (more likely the lack of it) followed by job characteristics (work satisfaction, employer and patients demands). The lowest cause of stress is personal productivity (personal problems, issues and time commitments).

Next: Figure 2: Average Stress Factors Scores by Nurse Type →

Noel Hendrickson | Digital Vision | Thinkstock

While many of us don’t always have a lot of time on our hands (or the control over our schedules) to relax, here’s just a few ideas for fun ways to spend your time off!

1. Get a massage - I talked about this in a previous blog, but really, it deserves to be repeated. We stress our bodies out day in and day out, and work and at home, so why not let a trained professional get out all those kinks and knots. Yes – go out and BOOK a massage, having your significant other rub your shoulders doesn’t count!
2. Get your face on -On that note, why not REALLY pamper yourself? How about a facial? It’s great for your skin and really makes you feel rejuvenated! It’s not just a girly thing either! Men, a facial can really help the skin on your face and neck -especially if you’re prone to irritation and burning after trying to get that close shave – just ask my fiancé! His neck was cleared up after just a 20 minute session!
3. Take a trip – Whether you have a weekend or a week – go someplace where you can just get away and relax. I’ve found that renting a cabin or house (try www.homeaway.com) can be more  cost efficient than staying at a hotel. Plus with a full kitchen, you’re saving money on meals you can eat at home – and it’s always nice to feel like you’re in your own home, away from home.
4. Camp out  on the land - if staying in a house or hotel isn’t for you, or not in your budget, why not go camping??  Sure there’s a bit more involved (planning meals, cleaning up, and pitching tents), but really, there’s something about roughing it and getting down to the basics that is relaxing… even if it’s only because it reminds you of being a kid. State park camp grounds can be rented for a very reasonable rate, and you can stay anywhere from the woods to the ocean!
5. Read a book – pick something that doesn’t involve a whole bunch of everyone else’s problems. You need a book that will take you to another place, another time, another life. I recommend something light (chick-lit anyone?) or something a bit deeper but that’s not too heavy (I LOVED reading “The Help” this summer!). You don’t want something that’s going to be too much of a downer, but transforming none-the-less.

There you have it…. 5 simple and amazingly fun ways to help us get our minds off of work and into another world, even if it’s just for a little bit. Try them out – I did! Remember that no matter how crazy our lives get, they are still OURs, and we need to take care of us too! ]]> http://scrubsmag.com/5-fun-ways-to-spend-your-time-off/feed/ 0 http://scrubsmag.com/how-close-is-too-close/ http://scrubsmag.com/how-close-is-too-close/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:47:39 +0000 Rob Cameron http://scrubsmag.com/?p=7917 ]]>

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I recently took a test to measure my strengths as a leader.  This test gives you top five strengths and how to use those to improve yourself overall. One of my strengths is as a ‘relater.’ It stated that I am strong at creating relationships with my employees and maintaining those relationships by getting to actually know my staff and relate to them.

At first I thought that was nonsense, but then I sat back and thought about it. I do take the time to get to know each of my employees.  If they want to sit in my office and chit-chat, I don’t discourage it. If they want to stop me in the hall to tell me about their personal life, I will sit down and listen to every word. I never thought about it as a skill, I was just doing what came naturally…..guess that’s why it’s considered a skill.

But how far do I take it? Should I talk about my personal life? Should I get involved in their lives? Should I allow them to be my friends on Facebook?

This is a tough place for a manager. On one hand you want to be a good boss and help them with whatever you can, even dealing with personal issues, but then you don’t want to become too involved and drag yourself into their issues. On one hand you want to let them know you as a person, but you don’t want the staff to become too involved in your life.

It’s a fine line to balance…being there for your staff while keeping them at arm’s length.

I care about my staff. I know when each of them is down or having problems and I try to support them the best I can. And I celebrate their accomplishments with them as well.  Sometimes they tell me more than I want or need to know….sometimes I do, too.

iStockphoto

Let’s face it: Nursing can be one intense gig.

When I need to get my job out of my head, I try to find easy and light reads. Here are my picks for right now:

1) Does the noise in my head bother you? By Steven Tyler. I love the homage paid to schizophrenics in the title. And I love Aerosmith. Win Win.

2) Bossy pants by Tina Fey. Love her, love her comedy, and have been told by many I will love her book.

3) The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I know they are turning it into a movie but I want to read the book first. My mom loved it and has insisted that I read it as well. It looks great.

What are your “escapist” recommendations?