Managing Potential Stress as a Nurse During the Holiday Season

The holidays are an exciting time for many, but can also bring a lot of stress, especially as a Pediatric Home Care Nurse. Avoid burnout during this season with these tips.  

What is Holiday Burnout? 

Holiday burnout is the sense of feeling overwhelmed by certain stresses during the holidays. Like compassion fatigue, symptoms of holiday burnout can come in the form of reduced energy, lack of motivation, and feelings of frustration. 

Nurses are usually at a higher risk of holiday burnout because of the intense environment of healthcare. For all clinicians, especially Pediatric Home Care Nurses, their work does not slow down just because of the holidays; medically fragile children need care all year round. 

What are the Causes of Stress and Holiday Burnout for Pediatric Home Care Nurses?

Pediatric Home Care Nurses may see family members feeling overwhelmed during the holidays. Stress can sometimes be unavoidable this time of year. Parents are not only navigating how to make the holidays special for their medically fragile children, but they are also figuring out how to make them special for their whole family. 

How to Manage Stress & Burnout During the Holidays 

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, be aware of actions, and not get overwhelmed by what might be going on around you. This technique can be beneficial to manage all kinds of stress, especially holiday burnout. When you are taking care of your patients in the home, make sure to focus just on their needs at the moment. This will help your brain from wandering and thinking about external stressors. 

Take Time Off 

It’s important during the holiday season to set boundaries for yourself and take time off. At Thrive SPC, we offer flexible scheduling and up to 80 hours of PTO for teammates working 30+  hours. Taking time off from your work lets you recharge, visit with friends, and family, and engage in activities that you enjoy.

Make Plans to See Family and Loved Ones

What better way to ground yourself than surrounding yourself with family and loved ones this holiday season? If circumstances make it so you can’t spend time with friends and family in person on the actual holiday, you could plan to chat on a video call. Or better yet, pick another day when you can all be together in person. 

Talk to Your Support System

Speaking with others you trust is a great way to feel connected and less alone. Call your friends and family. Chat with your coworkers about plans for the holidays. Host or attend a holiday party. If you’re struggling with loneliness, you may want to seek therapy. Speaking to a professional can help you understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and help you find strategies to better cope. 

Find Ways to Stay Organized

During the holidays, there are so many things to do from taking care of patients and getting ready for the holiday season. To prevent getting overwhelmed, use calendars and lists and write down all your responsibilities. Also, creating a to-do list can create peace of mind, as you can feel a sense of accomplishment when you complete and cross off a task. 

The holiday season can be a difficult time, especially for those in Pediatric Home Care. Thrive SPC works hard to ensure that all of our teammates have a great work-life balance and can enjoy this time of year and all year round. Learn more at https://www.thrivespc.com/.