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burnout...
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burnout... - September 9, 2007 1:16:52 PM
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Mariah
Posts: 1
Joined: January 28, 2006
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Anyone here ever suffer from severe burnout and make it back to loving what you do???
I've been having a really tough time lately. Used to love being a PT. I've always been very motivated at work, kept up with reading journals, was at the top of my class in PT school, etc. However, over this past summer I moved and started 2 jobs (each part-time) and ended up working many more hours than expected. I started getting overwhelmed with the number of patients I was responsible for. I'm a worrier (and a perfectionist) to start with, and then when I got overwhelmed, I started worrying even more (ie. did I make a mistake, am I taking the best approach with this pt, etc. etc.). With working so many hours, I didn't have time to research things like I normally would. I eventually got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore and took a leave of absence from both jobs. (Fortunately, I have an amazingly supportive husband.)
Now I've had some time off and am thinking of returning to one of the jobs (and resigning from the other one). However I just don't have the same feeling about being a PT that I used to. I used to enjoy trying to analyze the problem, figure out the puzzle, per se. To be honest, I just really don't want to deal with anyone's problems, or have to "fix" people, or make their pain better. I feel just awful saying that. I never felt like that before. I tried taking a continuing ed course but that didn't revitalize me. I've thought about maybe switching tracks and trying to move into teaching, but that doesn't inspire me either.
Has anyone on the list ever felt this way? I'm embarrassed to even admit to being so burntout, and it took a lot for me to post this so please be kind in your responses. I can't believe the profession I loved and was so devoted to now feels like such a burden.
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RE: burnout... - September 9, 2007 2:07:22 PM
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Sebastian Asselbergs
Posts: 1191
Joined: September 29, 1999
From: Barrie, Canada
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Mariah, kudos to you for posting.
Forgive me for bringing this up here, but is it not a good idea to chat with a psychologist? Burn-out can take a BIG bite out of anyone, and it is not a weird idea to get some suggestions on how to progress from here. I am NOT talking Freudian analysis here!
Furthermore, you may find s/he will help managing the other aspects of your life while you are figuring this out.
All the best.
_____________________________
Mundi vult decipi
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RE: burnout... - September 10, 2007 9:34:23 PM
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FLAOrthoPT
Posts: 1011
Joined: May 8, 2004
From: West Palm Beach
Status: offline
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consider home health, as a PT you usually do the eval, supervisory, and dc, there is some paperwork and phone calls, but overall you don't have that feeling of you needing to fix everyone. Very relaxing, mindless, and good money, good flexibility. may be a good change for you for a little bit.
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RE: burnout... - September 10, 2007 9:47:07 PM
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bonez
Posts: 230
Joined: August 29, 2007
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While not a PT. I think that this can be an issue for all professionals, in fact every walk of life. Sebastian is right to a degree. For me it is reflecting back to what got me started on my career path that picks me up.
Have you ever gone back to school to audit a class or two? You really can get charged up with that. We all can't do the next suggestion, but to get to volunteer our services for a period as an example with say a surgical group going to a third world country, the people you help are genuinely thankful for all you do for them and it could possibly re light your fire.
Hope the ramble helps.
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RE: burnout... - September 11, 2007 6:58:27 AM
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SJBird55
Posts: 2428
Joined: May 10, 2004
From: Michigan
Status: offline
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Or maybe it is time for a different career... No one says that once a physical therapist always a physical therapist. What would you rather be doing? I sometimes wish I owned a ranch. Skip dealing with people on such an intimate basis and herd up cows or horses. They don't talk or complain. ;)
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RE: burnout... - September 11, 2007 7:04:15 AM
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ginger
Posts: 658
Joined: February 26, 2005
From: Melbourne Victoria
Status: offline
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Mariah,
many of those who later reflect on the reasons for a change in direction in their physio career, may discover that they had a dose of the burn out , without having acknowledged it at the time. Others find their need to discuss their feelings increases as the stressors of clinical life mount up. Some may quit what might be a promising career with only a vague sense that ," it doesn't do it for me anymore".
Whatever your sense of burnout Mariah , take it seriously. You are an important cog in the wheel of intervention for a great many people. It is a fact of clinical life that eventually , without careful management, these mounting feelings of burn out may cause you to abort a perfectly good and ultimately , satisfying career.
Some students of mine , who have the mental attributes that allow them to pass without great effort, may become obsessed with fixing every problem that comes their way. Till this 'responsibility' becomes a burden.
The key then is to realise, that no one, can be the primary vector of problem solving for every patient that is on their case list. You can't fix em all. You can do your best , you can even stretch your expertise and reach into the bag of tricks till there are no tricks left , and still . in some cases, draw a blank.
It is usually at this time I draw on my buddhist frame of reference and say something like, let it be, or have it be the way it is. Being a person of integrity Mariah, you naturally find relinquishing responsibility tantamount to being guilty of ethical complacency. It is though , the means whereby , you may come to accept your own limits. By accepting limits to your own powers of control , you may allow for the grace that goes with the human quality of compassion. Sometimes the best person to direct this to, is yourself.
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RE: burnout... - September 21, 2007 2:24:28 PM
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AdamP
Posts: 23
Joined: July 27, 2007
Status: offline
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Thank you for posting your frustration! I think a lot of people go through this, god knows I already have and I've only been practicing a few years. I started with a full time job (M-F), then got on every Sunday and every other Saturday all while remodel a home from the studs and starting a family. In my case, it became a point that I had to realize that was not worth the money (or any amount of money for that reason). It took me a while to reflect and remember that is not why I got into PT. It was to help PEOPLE. Then I took a look at my pts. I was dealing with a lot of needy pts and a lot of chronic pain patients. I took it personally that I wasn't viewed (professionally) like other professions. To have pts tell me "this won't work, it's a waist of time", show up and want to be seen immediately (as though there is no thought involved in evaluation, just give exercises and leave, and the fact people would state they had PT and it didn't work. In this case I'd find out it was MT, fake 'n bake PTs, Chiros or a MD handout HEP as though what I do was comparable. Ultimately I learned to focus on the successes. To over simplify remember this...what we do is exercise and modalities (remember this is simplified). There are limitations to what we do, but think for a moment how amazing what we do works for some people! That is why you are here, focus on that! Every other profession is limited in their abilities. Think of it...surgeons cut people open and see first hand what's going on and can't always fix things. You can't either, but you can make positive changes in peoples lives, because the human body is so amazing. You know that art. Remember this too, Pain hurts! Any less pain is a good thing. If you start with 8/10 and end with 6/10 that's really good. Now, of course, I always try to get to 0/10, but if they leave and you can honestly say you did everything you can to help them, then you've been successful with most of your patients. That is where a lot of burnout comes from when you don't feel like you are doing everything you can (yet still putting your name on it), unfortunately this is often because we don't have time to do so. Have you ever run into someone in public that you helped and saw how well they are doing "thanks to you"? I bet you didn't feel burned out at that moment. Those people are out there whether you meet them or not, that is why you do what you do. Focus on that and forget all the other things (insurance, ungrateful pts, etc) and focus on the people and lives you affect (and believe me, you do). Good Luck!
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