Registered Nurse Jennifer Smith on recovering from burnout
“I have been nursing for 21 years and in the last 4 years I have enjoyed my work more than ever. I look forward to each day, even after my days off. I enjoy the contact and the connections I make with patients in my care, their family and my colleagues. It wasn’t always this way. In fact after being in nursing for about 3 years, I started becoming disillusioned. I began looking at other career paths and thought natural medicine was the answer to my woes.
What I have since realised is that after a few years in nursing, there was a disquiet within myself, if not burnout. I had developed an anxiety about going to work, most days. Actually I often dreaded going to work, because anything may happen. Being placed in charge on a shift and feeling like I was totally ill prepared was something that was not uncommon. I began reducing my hours and working mostly night shifts, to keep away from the hospital politic during the daytime hours. This gave me a little bit of respite, but I was not really addressing what was going on for me.
I had shifted workplaces, moving from the city to the country and began practice as a natural therapies practitioner. This was my way out of nursing, I thought. I eventually was only working enough to just pay the bills, so I could run my business. I was also back working permanent nights. Interestingly my business never did do well, it barely covered the expenses. I eventually began to notice that my health had started to change, not for the better.
About 4 years ago I began to practice the Gentle Breath Meditation. I also began introducing the quality of gentleness to the way I went about everything in my day, including how I treated myself. This in itself was amazing as I had always been very hard on myself, and expected a lot out of myself.
The more gentle I was with myself, I noticed that I became this way with others and I also began to notice that I was genuinely enjoying my nursing practice more and more. I only practice nursing now and love that I love it.
I have been learning that my body always tells me the truth and in fact I can often override what my body is saying to me very clearly with thoughts that I have. By learning to listen to my body and honour it’s messages I have made many changes, including to how and what I eat and the way that I exercise for example.
Of importance here is that I am not chasing a sense of perfection with any of this. I am very rarely critical of myself now and can simply observe myself in situations and make changes if I need to.
I feel amazing most of the time now and have a real inner glow of someone who is very content with who she is and the work she does. I continue to work shift work and am very enthusiastic and dedicated to my work. To be honest I never thought I would feel this way about nursing. But the truth is it’s actually got nothing to do with nursing, it’s been all about how I feel towards myself. The shift has changed within me, because I know I am worth investing in.”
Jen Smith has worked as a Registered Nurse since 1994 and specialises in Palliative Care and has a special interest in self-care for nurses. Currently Jen works in a small rural hospital in NSW and loves the very personalised approach of small community facilities. Jen brings a very strong practical focus and steadiness to her work. She has a natural ability to assist people to be at ease in most situations and loves working with families during end of life care. Her manner is personable and highly professional. The deep level of care that Jen has for all people is a reflection of the care she shows herself every day.
More articles on My Health Career:
- It takes a “special breed” to be an emergency department nurse
- Nurse leadership from the ward to the board – ACN CEO Debra Thoms
- #WhyWeDoResearch campaign – by Cheryl Prescott and Claire Gibbs
Images: supplied by Jennifer Smith
16 replies to “Registered Nurse Jennifer Smith on recovering from burnout”
Gorgeous blog, Jennifer. I remember when I was nursing, many years ago and began to dread going into the wards. Although no longer nursing, I now look forward to each day with whatever it brings. Bringing self-care by being gentle makes so much sense. How can we support others if we don’t value and appreciate ourselves? So it’s not the job itself but our attitude that makes the shift – as you say, ‘how I feel towards myself.’
Wow Jen what a strong statement; “The shift has changed within me, because I know I am worth investing in.” All this from being more gentle and caring towards yourself. Truly amazing to go from a life where you no longer wanted to engage and now live life so full of joy and commitment to self and others. Thank you for sharing how gentleness and self-care changed your life and how simple it actually can be.
It is very important and inspiring to learn from each other how to master the challenges of being active in health care, so that we are able to bring the best overall levels of quality to the people that rely on us to be facilitated in their healing process. Taking care of oneself first to be capable of caring for others with high quality is crucial and the foundation on which we can serve with consistency, vitality and joy. Without vitality and joy, it is hard to truly make it about people, as we will be reduced to functioning and getting through when we are exhausted and overwhelmed.The principles of self-care and service are simple, but they need to be applied and lived on a daily base. Your example, Jen, shows what is possible when we make the necessary choices and could be leading the way forward of how to establish a professional self-caring culture in the health care system that will equally and effectively provide the best services possible to our patients.
Jen your before & after photos say so much in themselves…what a transformation. You are simply glowing. Whatever you are doing it is clearly working for you.
From anxious function to joy and vitality is an amazing transformation Jennifer. The self-care techniques and awarenesses you speak of, and have consistently applied, speak for themselves.
I can see you ‘walk your talk’ Jen, great article, so simple and eloquent. I feel it would be lovely to work alongside you let alone be one of your patients!
I felt the same Jeanette, so great to see a health practioner walking the talk, and the benefits in the final photo are really clear. You must brighten a room now you’ve made the changes you describe. Great to read such a success story, particularly in a time when health professionals as so often pushed to breaking and end up joining the ever growing stats.
Yours is a truly inspirational story Jen, I can see the new sense of ‘self care’ in your after photo. It’s a wonder when I think about the nursing profession and the commitment that is there to take care of our patients. But to truly take care of who we are first is a blessing to the entire building you work with!
Wow Jen, the pictures say it all – what a transformation.
How Inspirational your story is Jen, even your before and after pictures speak volumes. What you do needs to be shared with the nursing profession. If I was in hospital it would be you, as you are now, I’d love to look after me.
Thank you Jen. There is nothing like the gorgeousness of a woman who “walks her talk” when she is deeply connected to herself. You are obviously a reflection of this. It is amazing how simple it is and incredibly life-changing. Stopping, re-connecting with yourself through the Gentle Breath Meditation then extending that gentleness to everything you do and self nurturing.
Your story is that of many if not most women, including myself, who at least some part of their lives have got caught with the focus on the doing in life and not truly connecting with who they are in what they do.
What an inspiration you must be to your profession and how beautiful for your patients to have such a vibrant beautiful woman take care of them.
Well, your words are already inspirational but have a look at those photos, they say it all.
Thanks for sharing Jen, very inspiring what a little self care can do not only for overall health and well being but also attitudes towards work in general.
Jen this is a brilliant, gentleness and developing an awareness of your body started to turn everything around. And everyone else benefits from your own selfcare – as their nurse, friend or family member. Your photos speak volumes, there’s such a difference from the before to the after that what you’ve chosen for your own wellbeing is undeniably working.
Thank you for sharing this Jen Smith, the photos say it all – the changes in you are profound from making new choices and the simple, consistent steps of listening to your body and using the gentle breath meditation. Yes, I agree, it is about how we feel towards ourselves that is key here and knowing we so are worth it.
What I like is just how straight forward and do-able everything you chose to support yourself was and look at the results in the photographs. What a difference! Usually people are rushing about when they are trying to get things done so choosing to bring the quality of gentleness to your everyday tasks would really keep you on your toes checking the way you were actually using your body to do things. I can also see how the more supportive food choices and way of exercising would flow on from that care and attention to detail.
The following words were a real standout for me, as I feel this was a huge part of bringing yourself back from being burnout as well. ‘I am not chasing a sense of perfection with any of this. I am very rarely critical of myself now and can simply observe myself in situations and make changes if I need to.’ There’s a great lesson for us all in that!