EMOTIONAL FATIGUE AND BURNOUT IN NURSING

Emotional Fatigue and Burnout in Nursing



Emotional Fatigue and Burnout in Nursing

Introduction

Performance of an individual is influenced by many external factors. Continuous exposition to stimulating factors creates certain changes in an individual. Researches show that every individual has a specific capacity to manage stimulated responses. Inability to handle extensive pressure and processing external stimulus results in behavioral changes that lead towards emotional imbalances conditions. Emotional fatigues and burnouts represent the situation which occurs due to imbalances in work and social life.

People involved in healthcare profession confront burnout and fatigue situation at some point in time. A significant impact has been observed of these problems on nurses' performance. Nursing, as a profession directly affects the human life. There performance is not only influenced by tangible factors but intangible factors also account most in defining their performance level. Intensity of work, emotional bonds with patients, and sensitivity of job increases the burden on nurse's mind (Ellis, 2004). This paper aims at exploring different fundamental concepts related to emotional fatigue and burnout in nursing.

Burnout

People who have caring attitude and are down-to-earth are attracted towards nursing profession. Role of nursing is very significant in health care industry. In order to make a difference in people lives, role of nurses is very crucial in defining the purpose of healthcare profession. In many instances, simultaneous factors affect the nurse performance that makes them susceptible to nursing burnout (Kaplow, 2007).

In general terms, burnout is characterized as an emotional condition that makes a person feel tired, frustrated, having low energy level, lack of enthusiasm, overwhelmed condition, and lack of interest due to excessive burden on mind (Matzo, 2009). These factors impact the performance of an individual which is evident in their job performance. Extensive pressure on human mind creates excessive leads to stress which ultimately result in burnout condition.

Burnout in Nursing

Burnout is a set of conflicting reaction of nurses due to involvement in prolonged stress on the job. Nurses are required to show extensive control on their stress level. In many situations, they are required to handle extensive workload. In many hospitals ratio of patient to nurses is very high. Including that they are required to work for longer hours on many weekdays. Staff shortage, hospital practice, code of behavior, work structure, rules, and regulations creates a drain of energy level (Matzo, 2009). Inability to recover the energy loss results in creating stress and burnout situation for a nurse.

Burnout in nursing is characterized as a condition that nearly all nurses experiences in their career. It results in making nurses feeling tired, fatigued, and irritable. It also results in making them perplexed and reduces their ability to take accurate quick decision which declines their performance level (Ellis, 2004). Not only this, burnout condition is also shown through physical manifestations which include severe headache, physical pain in different body parts, weight loss/excessive gain, and increasing biological problems.

Burnout in nursing occurs with years of experience ...