www.dotcomhunter.com Burnout as a Nursing Assistant Those who decide to pursue a career in the medical field as a Nursing Assistant set out to show compassion and help others. Their hearts a re in the right place, but they may soon find their minds and bodies suffering from burnout. This is the result of continually feeling lik e you can’t meet your work requirements. Soon you find you are comple tely drained and exhausted due to feeling overwhelmed. Often, the res ult is losing the motivation that lead you to take on that role in th e first place. The role of a Nursing Assistant is a demanding one. One of the bigge st complaints from them is that they have too much to do, and not en ough time to get it all done. Burnout is dangerous because it affect s individuals emotionally, physically, and mentally. It is tough to see bright, compassionate Nursing Assistants leave the medical field because they have come to resent the role they have taken on. It no longer serves a purpose for them. What was once a positive experien ce has become a nightmare. The stress of burnout on a Nursing Assistant can lead to problems with their health as well as lead to depression. Often, they either quit t heir job or they are fired. This leads to financial difficulties and m any times issues in their relationships. Nursing Assistants report bur nout in their profession is common because they are overworked, unappr eciated, confused about work expectations and priorities, worry about job security, they are overwhelmed by the number of responsibilities, and they do not feel their pay is sufficient for the amount of duties that they are required to perform on an ongoing basis. It is important that Nursing Assistants understand burnout, and the hav oc it can reap in their professional and personal life. Understanding w hat burnout is, why it happens, and the signs of it can help Nursing As sistants deal with the situation before it spirals out of control. The first step in avoiding burnout is to take care of yourself physically a nd emotionally. Signs you are experiencing job burnout or soon will be include no long er finding enjoyment in areas of your job you once really liked, becom ing cynical or bitter about your job, and you are starting to experien ce problems in relationships with co-workers, friends or family as a r esult of the conflicts of your job. Other important signs to watch for are looking for excuses to not go t o work, calling off or asking to go home early on a regular basis, bec oming easily annoyed with co-workers, envious of those who do enjoy th eir work, and not caring if you do a good job or not. It is likely you will start to experience physical and emotional exhaustion. A gift from www.dotcomhunter.comwww.dotcomhunter.com Being a Nursing Assistant can be stressful. However, stress and bur nout are different. They are often confused because they signs and symptoms of the two are very similar. The defining factor is stress comes and goes, so the signs and symptoms do as well. With burnout , the feeling doesn’t go away, so the signs and symptoms linger ong oing. As a Nursing Assistant, you can’t eliminate stress, but you can help c ontrol and reduce the effects of it. It is important to get plenty of rest and take care of yourself. Since most of us stretch ourselves too thin with too many commitments, see if there are areas you can cut ba ck in. If you have solutions to issues at work, write them down. Ask t o meet with your supervisor. Explain the problems, then offer solution s. This will show that you are interested in resolving the issues rath er than just complaining. It is very important to take time for yourself. Relax with a warm bath or read a good book. Too often we take care of everyone else’s needs at work and at home, leaving nothing of ourselves for us! Since the he althcare profession is the top contender for employees suffering from burnout, Nursing Assistants need to really take head of this advice an d put it to good use early on in their career. This will help ensure t hey continue to enjoy their work, offering patients the best possible care. PPPPP Word Count 697 A gift from www.dotcomhunter.com