Having a career as a Dental Assistant can be very rewarding.
It can also be stressful and overwhelming at times. Working with people can get
the best of us from time to time. Being a Dental Assistant requires ongoing
dedication and energy. If you find yourself becoming physically and emotionally
drained due to your work responsibilities as a Dental Assistant, you may be on
your way to experiencing a burnout.
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Often, stress and burnout are confused. Stress is also the
result of the work environment. However, it is the result of periodic issues
and complications in the work place. It might be having a bad day now and then.
Burnout is a constant, ongoing feeling of not being adequate in your job on a
daily basis. You may not longer take pride or interest in your position as a
Dental Assistant.
Burnout results in feelings of hopelessness and resentment.
If left untreated, it can escalate to depression. Dental Assistants who
experience burnout often feel unappreciated, overworked, feel they have too
much to accomplish in limited time, and begin to resent their level of
responsibility. Placing unrealistic expectations on yourself is also a factor
in burnout.
Burnout generally runs in stages. You go from feeling
excited about your job as a Dental Assistant to forcing yourself to go to work
each morning. Most people aren’t even sure what is wrong at this point.
However, you will begin to experience exhaustion that leads to irritability.
Burnout often has symptoms including headaches, changes in appetite, and high
blood pressure. During phases of burnout, your relationships both outside of
work and at work are going to suffer.
If you feel you may be suffering from burnout, talk with
your supervisor. You can find support in your co-workers. You might consider
attending a few counseling sessions to help you develop an action plan.
To avoid and eliminate burnout in the Dental Assistant
field, you must meet your physical and emotional needs. Too often we spread
ourselves too thin. We focus on the needs of out patients, our employer, and
our family. While this is great, it is important to remember your own needs.
Eventually not taking care of them will result in your inability to care for
the needs of anyone else.
Meet your physical needs by having regular checkups, getting
enough sleep, and eating right. Exercise is a very important part of feeling
good physically. To keep yourself feeling good mentally, use your coping
skills. Know what triggers your negative feelings and keep them in check. Keep
realistic goals and demands on your body and your time. Don’t beat yourself up
if you didn’t accomplish everything you set out to do that day. Instead, focus
on what you did accomplish. Learn to manage your time. It is OK to say know if
you already feel over extended.
Focusing on your social needs is also important. Nurture
your relationships with your spouse, children, and close friends. Stay involved
in Church and community organizations that are of interest to you. If you are
unhappy with your job as a Dental Assistant, talk to your employer about help
to remedy the situation. Improving your communication skills with others will
also improve your over all health.
Dental Assistants generally enjoy their career choice and
put forth their best effort everyday. However, burnout is very common in the
dental field. Knowing what causes burnout, they signs and symptoms, and
effective ways to manage it will make you be able to focus on your job again.
Improving your physical, mental, and social health will soon having you going
to work with enthusiasm and a thirst for knowledge in the dental field soon. If
your feelings don’t change, you will want to discuss the situation further. It
may be depression that needs to be treated instead of burnout. Realistically,
some Dental Assistants realize at this time they need a career change.
Avoid Burnout as a Dental Assistant - Innakaghaitsa.com