We have all encountered that caregiver who begins their professional journey as the cheerleader, rah rah-ing everyone, hugging the residents, working the extra shifts and never complaining right? Well, what happens to that caregiver when they become exhausted emotionally, feel depersonalized and are less successful with their work? Sadly, this affects approximately half of all nurses, physicians and other clinicians per an article published in Sigma Global Nursing Excellence in February 2020.

Combined with the high rate of depression (ranging from 25% to 43%) you have the perfect storm. So what does happen when a healthcare worker experiences burnout and depression? Unfortunately, studies have shown that suicide is much higher than the general population. This alone should get our attention! It is worth reading the article and maybe taking a step back and assessing your caregiving team. Do you have that burned out cheerleader? How about the call-ins? Are they really sick or are they suffering silently with depression and burnout?

We have tough jobs. If it was easy everyone would be doing it! Reach out to your staff, acknowledge their contributions, praise their tenacity and willingness to go the extra mile and above all, encourage everyone to take care of themselves!