Managing burnout

- switching assignments frequently

- rotating charge nurse if you only have certain people that do charge

- better scheduling

The LTC facility where I work has been dealing with staff-wide burnout d/t not enough staff to allow for time off, increasingly higher acuity new admits, staff quitting without notice, very few applicants for the open positions and of those nearly none who meet requirements for hire. The burnout is being felt at all levels, and the work environment seems toxic a lot of the time. There are many who feel as though things have no hope for improvement, and some who flat out refuse to try and get along. We are having a meeting Monday to address the burnout problem and seek solutions....any suggestions? Our residents need us to get along and get through this, would very much appreciate ideas and advice to take to the table.

We have the same thing right now - and no applicants for working the floor. The company I work for has tried so I give them that - have no idea what else they can do to recruit as I have suggested everything I can think of and they are good at taking suggestions. They did go outside of the box and hire a wound care nurse and an admissions nurse; there were applicants right away for those positions from nurses who just can not pound the floor for 12 hour shifts. That will help.

What I would like to see is us rotating assignments - but am sure there would be a walkout from those who will NOT work anywhere other than their assigned hall. What I would hope to see from rotating assignments is that all nurses would realize what the other nurses deal with on a daily basis, and maybe be more willing to help each other with problem areas.

I love, love, love geriatric patients - but oh how I wish we did not have the rehab patients that bring in the money. They are about to work me to death.