Reducing Nursing Turnover by Controlling Stress & Burnout

This FREE webinar was recorded on: Monday, December 14, 2009, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Working with trauma is difficult and challenging, even for nurses. Whether it’s in an operating room, emergency room or even a nursing home, nurses constantly deal with severe casualties and death. Nurses face an emotional burden that can not be ignored.

This emotional burden, most commonly referred to as Compassion Fatigue (CF), is regarded as an occupational hazard. According to AORN (the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses) there are human costs associated with Compassion Fatigue. Job performance decreases and malpractice can occur. Staff morale sinks and personal relationships suffer. Nurses that experience this emotional overload question their capabilities and skills, usually resulting in finding other means of employment. However, those who remain in the profession become increasingly detached and disengaged.

When intervention and prevention strategies are incorporated in the organization to address Compassion Fatigue, employers see a decrease in costs due to less sick time, increased productivity and fewer retention problems

Kim Richards, Founder/Owner of Nursefit, Inc. and President of Kim Richards and Associates, Inc. discusses with Human Resources IQ the common causes of Compassion Fatigue and strategies that employers can implement to help nurses prevent and cope with the trauma they witness on a day to day basis.

Presenter:

Kim Richards Founder/Owner NurseFit, Inc.

Kim Richards is the Founder/Owner of Nursefit Inc and President of Kim Richards & Associates. Richards has almost 20 years experience in the Nursing Management Recruitment industry. She was hired by AORN, (the Association of Perio perative Nurses) to evaluate and re-launch their interim management and consultation department. As the General Manager of AORN Management Solutions, Richards led the business to significant growth through targeted marketing, development of strategic partnerships and relationship building. After three years, Richards left AORN to restart her own executive search firm, Kim Richards and Associates Inc, which specializes in national recruitment of top nursing talent. The company has been successful in providing interim, permanent and consultative services for hospitals around the country.
 
As a nurse and an executive recruiter, Richards became increasingly aware of the “revolving door” of nurses in acute care facilities. After participated in nursing conferences and interviewing hundreds of nurses, a common theme clearly emerged. Nurses were expressing signs and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue, a debilitating phenomenon caused by years of built up emotional residue.