Burnout is a serious concern for healthcare professionals. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “Burnout among health workers has harmful consequences for patient care and safety” and may cause “increased medical errors [. . .] and staffing shortages.” Training on the job can increase the risk of burnout for some individuals. Coping skills and social support are essential to reducing the risk of emotional or physical exhaustion during on-the-job training. Driftwood Recovery supports staff members, including those in training, by providing a healthy work environment and resources to reduce physical or psychological stress.
Burnout and Training On the Job
Training on the job has many benefits and helps professionals achieve their career goals. However, many individuals in healthcare struggle during training periods. The added pressure and stress may cause people to experience anxiety, depression, or other serious side effects.
Some of the potential factors impacting staff mental and physical health during training include:
- Pressure to perform and meet specific goals
- A high case workload
- Inconsistent scheduling or overscheduling
- Emotional stress caused by working with vulnerable populations
- Witnessing or hearing about traumatic events
- Limited resources or lack of peer support
Driftwood Recovery understands the importance of educating staff and providing them with the tools and resources to effectively manage stress and create a healthy work-life balance.
4 Ways to Reduce Burnout
Training is often stressful. Staff members may be new and still figuring out where they fit within the workplace community. A desire to exceed expectations and meet training goals or deadlines may cause some people to feel burnt out early in training. In addition, professionals in healthcare must provide emotional support to clients every day regardless of how they feel in their personal lives. The combination of factors may become overwhelming if staff do not have the support and resources to effectively cope with stressors. Below are four ways healthcare workers reduce stress and the risk of burnout.
#1. Prioritizing Self-Care When Training On the Job
Self-care is essential for all healthcare workers at every stage of their careers. However, self-care is vital during initial training before individuals develop the support systems and coping skills to help them create a healthy work-life balance.
Some common forms of self-care include:
- Taking advantage of all breaks throughout the workday
- Staying hydrated and eating nutritional meals
- Speaking to loved ones about stressors at work
- Taking quiet time each day after or before work to relax and focus on the present
Training should not interfere with a person’s ability to maintain self-care on the job.
#2. Setting Work-Life Boundaries
A healthy work-life balance is essential for managing the increased workload during on-the-job training. According to the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, “Managing workload is a crucial factor in reducing burnout among healthcare workers.” Establishing and maintaining boundaries is critical to a worker’s emotional and physical well-being.
A few examples of work boundaries people set to improve their overall wellness include:
- Saying “no” to overtime or requests from coworkers to take over shifts
- Turning off notifications from work emails or team messaging apps after returning home
- Taking sick days instead of working while feeling under the weather
Communicating needs and personal boundaries improves workplace relationships and increases positivity.
#3. Relying on Coworkers, Management, and Other Work Resources
Utilizing resources is essential for healthcare workers. Individuals with access to a solid support network have an easier time avoiding burnout. Coworkers, management, and workplace programs all play a role in ensuring staff have access to the types of support they need to maintain positive mental health.
Staff rely on peers and management to help them avoid burnout by doing the following:
- Discussing tasks, clients, or cases causing emotional strain or distress
- Communicating needs to create a more balanced schedule
- Establishing realistic goals and timelines
- Ensuring tasks are distributed fairly between staff members
The management team and coworkers provide essential emotional and practical support to individuals in training.
#4. Embracing Personal Growth While Training On the Job
Personal growth is essential for developing workplace skills, self-care routines, and healthy relationships. Embracing the need for personal growth helps with on-the-job training by allowing people to focus on the positive aspects of training. According to NIH News in Health, “Positive emotions expand our awareness and open us up to new ideas, so we can grow.”
Driftwood Recovery empowers personal growth by doing the following:
- Offering staff training and continuing education opportunities
- Building trust and communication through on-the-job training and skills development
- Providing feedback and encouragement to clinicians and support staff in training
Burnout is not an inevitable part of working in healthcare. Individuals can embrace change, develop practical coping skills, and become part of a supportive community by focusing on personal growth.
Training on the job is an excellent way to build new relationships and gain valuable skills. Everyone should have the opportunity to pursue on-the-job training to advance their career, learn new skills, or brush up on their knowledge. However, additional training on top of a full work schedule may leave some people feeling drained or overwhelmed. Avoiding burnout is important for people working in the healthcare field. Driftwood Recovery helps staff avoid burnout by providing a positive community of peers and access to support resources. Every staff member has the chance to increase their skills with on-the-job training and continuing education. To learn more about our services and how we prioritize client care, call us at (512) 759-8330.