The CARE heuristic for addressing burnout in nurses

Abstract

This paper provides a heuristic for addressing the pressing problem of burnout in nurses. Following a literature review about the causes and symptoms of burnout, a case will be made that the problem is best addressed from a variety of perspectives using different modalities. These are summarized under the different headings of Compassion, Awareness, Resilient Responding and Empowerment which together from the CARE heuristic. An explanation and justification for each of these different approaches is provided, along with practical exercises that nurses might practice in order to build capacity in each of these domains and protect themselves against or treat existing symptoms of burnout.

Junior doctors, burnout and wellbeing: Understanding the experience of burnout in general practice registrars and hospital equivalents

“…15 The CARE study, looking at burnout in nurses, also proposed a multifactorial causality to burnout. 16 The authors recommended strategies to reduce the occurrence of burnout and highlighted the need to focus on multiple elements, noting that supporting one element alone was insufficient and likely to be ineffective. 16 Our study builds on these studies by identifying specific focus areas that contribute to burnout and hypothesising further research opportunities to minimise burnout within the junior doctor population.…”