whoRyou Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Why do PAs burnout? I realize WE all need to find ways to de-stress our lives. What tips have helped you when things seem to fall apart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 3, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 3, 2015 several reasons ( and let me say I think burnout is situational/temporal- you can feel burned out 1 week and not the next) too many hours regardless of how good the job is too many patients regardless of hours not enough rest between shifts not enough respect from patients/coworkers/admin folks feeling that you are not appreciated in some way. this can be financial, attitudes from others, etc feeling that you are being asked to do a job without enough resources(support staff, equipment, etc) a combination of the above. I find myself feeling burned out at times for all of the reasons above except financial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohsnapPA Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 A tangent off this question is what are your thoughts of PA vs physician burnout? Do you think doctor burnouts are a lot more intense/common than PA burnout? Why do PAs burnout? I realize WE all need to find ways to unstress our lives. What tips have helped you when things seem to fall apart? Personally, I think that since most PA students have taken some year(s) off of schooling, they're more refreshed to take on the hard two years of PA school than medical school students - who are often people who go to medical school straight out of undergrad, taking 3+ months to study the terrible MCAT. Likewise, I think the ongoing stress of the hard didactic MS1/2 years, taking all the USMLE tests, residency apps/placement, demanding hours of residency, etc - really takes a toll on a lot of doctors. There's so much time, debt medical students have committed and pressure not to fail out/change their minds on becoming a doctor, and then not to mention all the debt a doctor has to pay off afterwards. I feel like most doctors never have a break from stress and no sleep, which causes them at some point to reach their breaking point and burnout. PAs on the other hand at least have to endure only 2 difficult years, pass the PANCE, pay off the debt accumulated - and then the stress afterwards is some of what EMEDPA mentions...but I think it has a lot to do with what job a PA positions himself, his personality type, what his life/work goals are, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 I think it has a lot to do with what job a PA positions himself, his/her personality type, what their life/work goals are, etc. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoRyou Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 This is only an assumption on my part since I am NOT a PA yet, but I would think the constant pressure to produce and trying to keep everyone happy including patients, their family members, your bosses, your co-workers, the insurance companies, and even our own families. At the same time, trying not to kill anyone. This would seem to be a could cause burn out if you don't take care of numero uno i.e., OURSELVES! WE tend to take care of everyone else except ourselves when WE are in type of industry. WE need to find ways to unstress our lives or both components will fall apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdenning Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Agree with EMEDPA's thoughts above. Having an outlet of some sort has become incredibly important for me - working out really hard is good therapy. Burnout often comes in waves and ebbs and flows. That said, this week was a burnout for me definitely. Taking a day off next week will help. Sunshine helps too :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoRyou Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 ^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 4, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 4, 2015 "sunshine helps too". spoken like a true PNW resident. try the little blue sun lamp. my wife got me one for my desk at home. Don't know if it helps or not. I grew up in southern CA and hate the gray winters in the PNW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdenning Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 It's harder to be burned out when the sun is shining. I lived in the Bay Area for almost 10 years before moving to Portland - the first winter here almost killed me. In a strange way I miss home (Calgary Alberta) because even though it could be -30 C it would still be sunny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 4, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 4, 2015 I agree. I have spent a lot of time on the east coast and much prefer crisp/clear/snowing and 10 degrees to 50 degrees, gray and rainy. wife won't let us move to Vermont despite several good job offers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armymedicchris Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Central Oregon has pretty nice weather comparatively.. Just less jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 4, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 4, 2015 providence Medford is hiring em pas right now if you are looking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbrothers98 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I agree. I have spent a lot of time on the east coast and much prefer crisp/clear/snowing and 10 degrees to 50 degrees, gray and rainy. wife won't let us move to Vermont despite several good job offers... You must have hit VT on a good day E. This winter was the toughest ever between rolling waves of the flu, snow and bitter cold. Just spent the last week in sunny FL and I was having a hard time justifying the return. I will be in Vegas this week, prolly will feel the same next weekend. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshie1 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 You will burnout in any job, PA or otherwise, if you: a. don't take care of yourself first. Daily exercise, quality sleep, quality diverse nutrition, all are necessary lifestyle habits b. do your job according to how other people (e.g., patients) think you should instead of following EBM and "do no harm" philosophy. If you do YOUR job, you will sleep better at night c. pursue the love of money. Money is nice, and it is essential, but re-examine your needs vs. wants from time-to-time. You will probably be happier in all facets of life / work if you realize less is more. Lack of respect from others or feeling like you're not appreciated? That's out of your control. Let it go and do your job according to your standards, at least that is my philosophy for now. It is helping me to sleep better, anyway, and I'm a much happier person with a good night's sleep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 4, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 4, 2015 Lack of respect from others or feeling like you're not appreciated? That's out of your control. Let it go and do your job according to your standards, at least that is my philosophy for now. It is helping me to sleep better, anyway, and I'm a much happier person with a good night's sleep! I don't agree. If you feel that way at a job you change it or you leave....daily abuse from others which you ignore? talk about a formula for burnout. I'm much happier at jobs that pay less but treat me better and let me do more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshie1 Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Abuse? I didn't see a reference to abuse anywhere in your post, EMED. I agree that if daily abuse from others is what you experience, then this is not to be ignored. But I personally don't equate "lack of respect or lack of appreciation from others" as abuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delco714 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 You must have hit VT on a good day E. This winter was the toughest ever between rolling waves of the flu, snow and bitter cold. Just spent the last week in sunny FL and I was having a hard time justifying the return. I will be in Vegas this week, prolly will feel the same next weekend. G Ohhhh come on. Plennya snow and cold but i think we had a fair amount of sun this winter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 5, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 5, 2015 Abuse? I didn't see a reference to abuse anywhere in your post, EMED. I agree that if daily abuse from others is what you experience, then this is not to be ignored. But I personally don't equate "lack of respect or lack of appreciation from others" as abuse. disrespect creates an unfriendly/tense work environment....heard today from a brand new doc that PA stands for "partially adequate". I said oh, I thought it was physician alternative... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delco714 Posted April 5, 2015 Share Posted April 5, 2015 disrespect creates an unfriendly/tense work environment....heard today from a brand new doc that PA stands for "partially adequate". I said oh, I thought it was physician alternative...Is it still socially unacceptable to throat punch ignoramus'? Sigh. Must be where he trained... We have a family med residency at my hospital, they have nothing but respect (sometimes fear ;) ) for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted April 5, 2015 Moderator Share Posted April 5, 2015 Is it still socially unacceptable to throat punch ignoramus'? Sigh. Must be where he trained... We have a family med residency at my hospital, they have nothing but respect (sometimes fear ;) ) for us. it was one of OUR recent FP residency grads... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delco714 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 Where's the dislike button. Would of ripped him a new one. What a jerk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightbearer06 Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 This reminds me of an urgent care physician that I used to work with. I was working in the chest pain center at the time, and he would always have me glance at his EKGs just to make sure he wasn't missing something and I was happy to do it. One day, one of the suits came in, and he was trying to impress them with his idea that PAs were inferior because "they only have one year of training" and should continue to be supervised in an urgent care setting (VA law is that ED PA's have to present every ED patient before discharge...huge dissatisfier, but law does not pertain to UC. However, our facility was still requiring this of us at the time). I turned around and told him "That's not what you say when you ask me to read your EKGs for you..." Awkward silence.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Febrifuge Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I turned around and told him "That's not what you say when you ask me to read your EKGs for you..." Wow, was there a burn center on site too? Because he needed one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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