The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has placed an overwhelming strain on America’s healthcare workers. This strain has exacerbated existing problems with employee burnout within the industry. A poll released Feb. 22 found that 52 percent of healthcare workers felt “burned out” and 23 percent of healthcare workers were likely to leave the field. Such news does not bode well for America’s graying population and the nursing workforce needed to care for them.

There are more than 65 million people age 65 or older living in our nation and a more robust pool of nursing employees will be needed to care for them.  Of the roughly 3.1 million Registered Nurses (RNs) employed in the United States in 2020, only about 6 percent work in nursing and residential care facilities. Much of that number is being decimated by retirements and professional burnout. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the older adult population is expected to outpace that of children by 2034. Thus, getting a handle on burnout now can only strengthen the future of long-term care.

Struggling for employees

The idea that long-term care is somehow easier than working in a hospital setting has long ago been proven to be a misconception, especially since the spread of the pandemic. The extensive hours and stress of caring for a highly vulnerable population in difficult circumstances have worn down the LTC workforce. Facilities across the nation are working to attract more nurses, CNAs and other valued positions. Meanwhile, they are trying to hang onto exhausted remaining staff who may be considering the exit door soon. 

Fighting employee burnout

How do long-term care facilities re-energize their existing workforce and develop more satisfied workers with staying power? It starts with the hiring process and ensuring that job candidates are not only truly the right fit for your organization’s culture and your residents, but the profession as a whole. Beyond a candidate’s resume, is this person compassionate toward people and passionate about their work? Whether it is a member of environmental services or the Director of Nursing, would you feel good about that person representing your facility? If you can’t answer a resounding ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, you may have to go back and rethink.

When you do get a great hire, how do you support them so they will be less likely to experience  burnout? The first step is to develop a retention strategy that focuses on the factors that motivate workers to stay. Among these are a positive working environment, high standards for quality care, respect for each employee and opportunities for professional growth. Evaluate your work environment and see how you stack up and work on areas where there can be some improvement.

If you already have great workers, they are the greatest partners you can have in helping future employees stay. Empower mentorship in your facility by including current employees in the orientation and training process. Mentorship programs have also been proven to be successful in retaining nurses and CNAs. Not only does mentoring help keep your older workers engaged, but it can help develop them for future leadership.

Even with great career benefits and a positive environment, the accompanying stress of working in a long-term healthcare setting can send good workers packing. So many times those who dedicate their lives to helping others don’t do a great job of looking after themselves. They may neglect their own needs, abandon their personal time or put off conflicts by not dealing with the root of a problem. All of this can lead to heavy emotional strain. 

Sometimes talking with a trusted supervisor can take a tremendous weight off employees by allowing them to have a safe place to vent. Supervisors just need to offer an open door, patience to listen and not take it personally. 

Ultimately, learning how to deliver quality care without compromising their own health is an important lesson for employees. They may not recognize when it’s time to take care of themselves and they may need a gentle reminder. Several helpful resources can provide clarity about burnout issues, such as compassion fatigue, and teach employees how to take action and help themselves.

Let us help

The Compliance Store has a wealth of resources dedicated to supporting employee recruitment and development, including information about stress and federal efforts to address burnout among healthcare workers. Let us help you get ahead with useful resources for your daily operations and stay in compliance. Contact The Compliance Store online or call 877-582-7347 to learn more.