Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by another’s emotions that it is hard to process your own emotions? Do you lash out at loved ones in your life, and feel like you are spiraling downward into compassion fatigue, or empathy burnout?
At the end of the day, nurses can feel a lot of sadness, exhaustion, detachment, and anger. As time goes on, we might be unable to empathize with others due to our own desensitization. Those of us who spend a lot of our time and energy caring for others can be easily burned out. Here are some key elements of to add to your resilience toolkit:
Mindfulness Meditation. This is a great tool and I’ve posted here about it before. The process can be as easy as taking a breath during stressful situations. Practice this technique on a regular basis to see results.
Gratefulness Journal. This is a place to write down that for which you are grateful in your life. Everyday, write down three things that you are thankful for, or that make you happy. Then, at the end of the day, write down three good things that happened on you shift. This can help to redirect your attention if it was a particularly bad day.
Organizational Support
Form a support group at work and get your employer involved. Talking to other people about the problems you are facing helps you realize that you aren’t alone. Hospitals often provide counseling benefits to their employees through their health insurance.
Take Your Breaks
It can be hard to get away sometimes, but make sure you take a break. Leaving the floor for just 15 minutes to do something for yourself can really give you a boost of mental energy.
Don’t Shut Out Others
Don’t isolate yourself from others at home. If they ask you about your day, let them hear you out about what’s bothering you. They don’t have to fix it, but just by listening they can help.
If You Lash Out, Seek Help
Getting angry with others in your life is a sign that you need to process your emotions in a better way. Help yourself and those in your life by getting some counseling.
After reading this, do you have some of your own techniques for decompressing? Let me know in the comments what has worked for you and what doesn’t.
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Thank you for sharing. In reply to this, I have no perfect way of releasing the emotion from work.. one trick is i allow myself to chew the events of the shift till i drive past one spot on my way home: then they have to stay there. But that doesn't always work...
Way back in the early 90's, i was looking after lovely young AIDS patients as a grad and i found, as the disease consumed them i would frequently be running to the loo balling my eyes out. When i talked to the charge nurse, i remember saying "i just have to stop caring quite so much, then i won't be crying" He said in response "The moment you stop caring so much is the moment i don't want you on this ward!! You just have to learn how to channel it: turn it into something positive." I will never forget those words and i'm happy to share them now...