Tips to Help with Staff Burn Out

Those who serve in the healthcare field have felt the effects of the global pandemic more than any other profession. Learning and implementing new life-saving protocols with reduced staff and limited or no supplies – plus having to adapt to ever-changing circumstances – has left many of us tired and on edge. Trying to provide care to others during a time like this can lead to stress, anxiety, anger, and fear. How we cope with these emotions can affect our well-being, the care we give to others, and the well-being of the people we care about. It’s vital that we are able to recognize what stress looks like, take steps to build coping skills, and know where to go if help is needed.

The following are some symptoms of stress that you or your staff may be experiencing:

· Feeling tired, overwhelmed, or burned out

· Having trouble concentrating

· Experiencing “compassion fatigue”

· Feeling irritation, anger, or denial

· Feeling uncertain, nervous, or anxious

· Lacking motivation

· Feeling sad or depressed

· Having trouble sleeping

· Feeling helpless or powerless

Once you’re able to identify the signs of stress, finding coping mechanisms can help alleviate some of the detrimental effects from it. Consider these interventions:

Take Breaks Employers need to actively encourage breaks – for themselves and their employees – so that staff doesn't overwork themselves to the point of burnout. Breaks require employees to step away from stress for a period of time in order to regroup.

Provide an Outlet for Employees to Vent

When emotions are bottled up, they can come out at inopportune times. Give employees a chance to vent their frustrations in a safe place. Make sure employees know they are heard and understood.

Encourage Healthy Habits Whether it’s bringing healthful foods in to snack on or providing health-focused programs like yoga or mindfulness meditation, or newsletters with healthful recipes, it’s important to encourage a balance of physical and mental well-being.

Take an Active Role It's important for both management and human resources to take an active role in learning how employees are doing to help prevent burnout from occurring and significant turnover from happening. They should know an employee's concerns instead of letting them fester and potentially cause an employee to leave.

Know Where to Go If You Need Help

If you’re concerned that you or someone you know needs help, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for a variety of services available to those in need.

Give us a call

No matter the type of medicine you practice, whether radiology or podiatry, whether you are a multi-specialty group or a solo practice, Catalyst Billing Solutions has decades of experience in medical billing, debt-collection, and management services. Our energetic team is equipped with superior technology and operational brilliance to take your billing operations to the next level of profit and efficiency. Give us a call at 479.452.9416 to find out how!