Meet The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner

The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner

Hey fellow burned-out nurse practitioner!

My name is Erica D the NP. I am a family nurse practitioner, wife, mom, and creator of The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner. I created The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner to help overwhelmed nurse practitioners create work-life balance, conquer burnout, and advocate for themselves. 

I may be a little biased but I believe nurse practitioners hold a pivotal, essential, highly regarded spot in healthcare. Our background in nursing helps us give comprehensive, compassionate, patient-centered care! Our job as nurse practitioners is so important and we have positively impacted healthcare in so many ways! 

However, through my work in The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner, I have discovered a staggering number of nurse practitioners who are mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted. We were burned out before the COVID-19 pandemic but the past two years have been incredibly difficult. If you are struggling with work-life balance, overwhelmed from your work as a nurse practitioner, and ready to leave healthcare, you have come to the right place!

I hope you find connection and support on The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner website and within The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner Facebook Group. Here is a little more information about me (the creator of The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner) and I would love it if you reply/post some information about yourself!  

Why did you get into healthcare? 

I went into healthcare because I wanted to make a difference in patient’s lives. I thought I would have time to sit and hold my patient’s hand while truly impacting their mental and physical health. After beginning my first RN job, I learned pretty quick, there is no time for that! The demands of nursing, long hours, constantly giving to others eventually took a toll on me (see what is your burnout story for more info). 

What areas in healthcare have you worked in the past?

I started out working as a certified nursing assistant in a nursing home. I still appreciate the basic nursing skills and caring for patients that I learned in this role! After becoming a registered nurse, I worked in areas such as medical-surgical, neuro-trauma, critical access hospital, and cardiac rehab- my favorite!

Where is your current area of practice?

I currently work as a family nurse practitioner in a critical access hospital. I primarily work in primary care and also cover emergency services. I appreciate the variety of patients that I see in the rural health clinic and love that I get to help care for those in my community!

What is your burnout story? 

I became burned out while working as a registered nurse on a busy acute care floor. I didn’t even know I was burned out until I read an article on compassion fatigue in healthcare providers and checked every single box. My signs and symptoms of healthcare burnout included: mental, physical, emotional exhaustion. I dreaded going to work and lacked empathy and compassion for my patients. I was not showing up for my husband, son, friends, or coworkers. I started to feel detached from my work as a nurse, and worse, myself. I slowly made the necessary outer and inner changes to overcome burnout.

How did you overcome burnout?

Overcoming burnout is multifactorial. Nurse practitioners do not become burned out overnight and conquering the burnout is not achieved in a day. I had to work on multiple areas in my life. Here are a few things I did to beat the burnout. Learn to take control of my life. Start a gratitude journal. Set boundaries. Actually do the self care. Identify my priorities and what is important in my life. Change my habits. Time management. Avoid perfectionism. Never give up- personal development is long term. Check out The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner’s blog page for more specifics on these tips!

Why did you create The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner? 

After overcoming burnout myself, I started noticing how many other healthcare providers were struggling. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the burnout worsened. Advanced practice registered nurses have so many mental and emotional demands. Nurse practitioners deal with a lot of difficult situations that take a toll on our own lives. We are required to do more work for less or equal pay. Nurse practitioners are burned out. The burnout is affecting our families. We are literally bringing work home and spending hours of unpaid time charting. We no longer have the energy or time our families deserve. I strive to address these issues and help overwhelmed nurse practitioners “get their lives back.” 

What services does The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner offer?

 I have a free blog with weekly articles addressing the issues nurse practitioners are struggling with. Topics include: nurse practitioner burnout, work-life imbalance, setting boundaries, charting and time management tips, controlling imposter syndrome, contract negotiation for nurse practitioners, and so much more! I also offer online courses to help you expedite overcoming these struggles. Current courses include: Burnout Resolution for Nurse Practitioners, Control the Imposter Syndrome, Contract Negotiation for Nurse Practitioners. You can follow me or join the group in Facebook: The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner or Instagram: @burnedoutnp

I also run The Nurse Practitioner Charting School– the one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners!

Five Fun Facts about The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner

  1. What is your favorite area in healthcare? I love cardiology! I don’t have a good reason why, I am just amazed by the way our bodies function/adapt. I’m also blown away by the current technology and interventions we can do!
  2. What was your least favorite job in healthcare? Working as a CNA in a nursing home, that’s hard work! 
  3. What has been your favorite job in healthcare? I loved working in cardiac rehab! I’ve always been fascinated with cardiology and enjoyed seeing the changes cardiac rehab patients make!
  4. What do you like to do in your spare time? I have a husband and two kids who definitely keep me on my toes. I love to run, garden, and spend time outdoors.
  5. What is your favorite food? I am obsessed with frosted chocolate chip cookies made from a local bakery- literally the best in the world!

I love meeting nurse practitioners and hearing their stories! (Comment below and tell me your current area of practice and what is contributing to your burnout)! I truly believe in the impact nurse practitioners make and know we can change the world! Thank you for following The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner!

Erica D the NP is a family nurse practitioner and burnout coach. Erica created The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner to help overwhelmed APRNs create work-life balance, overcome nurse practitioner burnout, and advocate for themselves. The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner offers online courses, coaching, and support. Learn more at www.burnedoutnp.com

For time management and charting tips, check out The Nurse Practitioner Charting School– The one stop for all documentation resources created specifically for nurse practitioners. Learn more at www.npchartingschool.com

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**Full disclosure, this blog post may include affiliate links. I do receive a commission if any of the affiliate programs/services/supplies are purchased. This is at no extra cost to you but does allow me to continue to provide content as The Burned-out Nurse Practitioner! Thank you!

If You Need Help or Have Some Question, Consultation with Us

erica@burnedoutnp.com

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