Overcome Healthcare And Physical Therapy Burnout With TaVona Denise, PT, Life and Buisness Coach!
Therapists On Fire Show Notes:
00:52 How did you get inspired to share how to overcome healthcare burnout?
Really through personal experience. Once she felt like she cracked the code, then she new this was something she had to help other healthcare professionals with!
As a per diem therapist in the hospital system, she was able to see therapists transform from bright eyed and bushy tailed therapists to walking zombies! Day after day, therapists would come to her feeling lost, wanting to continue to work in therapy but not being able to get through a work day!
At TaVona’s current facility, productivity was being pushed harder and harder and harder. Yet, despite this push, productivity was dropping. So, finally, management asked her team was what the reason. TaVona spoke up! She offered to try to build a solution…..this was how her Burnout Resilience Program specifically for her facility was created!
5:40 How did you finally get your facility to listen and try to approach a solution to burnout?
TaVona knew that the facility had problem that she could solve. She went into the conversations with her facility from a solution focus, rather than just hoping and complaining.
She believes that the power of perspective is very important. It’s important in any conversation to go into it from a place of power.
She also asked the facility manager what their goals are. She came to a solution both from the perspective of therapists but also from a management perspective. There has to be a mutually beneficial solution.
She didn’t just stop there! She wrote a 6 page proposal on her Burnout Resilience program plus she made 6 separate appointments with management. She knew that her manager was busy, and that she had to make the extra effort to make sure that the manager had time to understand her solution and also answer any questions that the manger may have. She added research and information on how this program would even affect her facilities bottom line, productivity and earnings.
Managers are busy! There are putting out fires everyday. So things can get lost in the shuffle.
That’s why TaVona wrote her 6 page proposal and over 6 meetings to make sure her burnout program was approved!
14:05 How do other therapists find solution to their own healthcare burnout?
1. Assess where you are on the following burnout scales:
Maslach Burnout Inventory (Gold Standard) and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory
2. Understanding the 3 dimensions of burnout:
Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or cynicism , and lack of personal accomplishment. Many therapists are not taking care of themselves and also are not moving up the career ladder!
Physically: Therapists can make sure they are breathing deeply and correctly, eat right, drink enough water, and exercise.
Emotionally: Therapists should make sure they have made goals and are trying to meet their goals. This will help break up the monotony of work but also help with career growth. Why are you going to work? Is it to be debt free? Is it to buy a house or start a new online buisness? Having these goals and working towards them gives you drive and a purpose!
3. Use a gratitude journal or “Book of Awesome”:
This is basically a journal of what your are thankful for and every day recognize how your life is full of abundance. TaVona’s spin is instead of just being thankful, you can also write about what was awesome about your day, why are you awesome, remembering any thing that puts a smile on your face!
4. Use calming applications on your phone such as “Calm”.
You can use this application to help you breath in rhythmic pattern for 2 minutes to allow your EEG and EKG waves to line up, allowing your body calm itself (according to https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/well/mind/breathe-exhale-repeat-the-benefits-of-controlled-breathing.html). Mindfulness and meditation can also help but with our worlds being so busy, breathing can be an easy and simple solution that you can do at work.
27:00 Why are new graduates feeling so much burnout, so soon in their career?
There really could be many reasons, but here are some potential causes:
- Lack of skills to handle stress. We really aren’t taught how to manage all of the stresses that come with healthcare!
- Lack of goal creation and drive towards one’s goals.
- Increased student debt
- Lack of education on how to start your business and be an entrepreneur.
33:35 You can help people and make money!!
We joined healthcare to help people but you it’s not the only thing you have to do and you are worth getting paid! Try to discover an outlet for your burnout and creativity. This can be travel physical therapy, it can be starting an online career, or any passion you have!
You don’t have to suffer in silence!
Links And Resources:
TaVona Denise Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tavonadenise/
FYI: TaVona discusses burnout topics and solutions every Tuesday at 8pm EST on her Facebook page!
TaVona’s Website: http://www.tavonadenise.com/
If you would like to get help at your facility or individually with burnout, feel free to contact TaVona here: bitly.com/endptburnout
You can listen to the Therapists On Fire Podcast on any device! Just search “Therapists on Fire” on any of your favorite podcast players!
