School is not a burnout cure.

I am very passionate about helping nurses being successful and find their thing in nursing.

Because of this, I have quite a few soapboxes that I will happily stand on as an advocate.

One of those soapboxes is about the push for degrees and certifications.

Because I think it is terrible advice. 

I am all for education, but telling someone who is burnout to go back to school because they are burnout is the equivalent of slapping an expensive bandaid on an infected wound.

While it might make things look better for the short term, you aren't dealing with the underlying issues contributing to their burnout and career dissatisfaction.

So it should come as no surprise when a few years later, they are right back in the same place. 

And let's be honest, burnout is a terrible driver for decision making and here are just a few reasons why:

- You are first off in a state where anything will feel better than continuing to feel stuck and powerless.

- You are dealing with an up-regulated sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight response). This is a very primitive part of the brain that would be okay losing a limb if it meant survival. Or, in more modern-day terms, accepting a job that pays less and is 90 minutes away from your home. 

- It's hard to hear what you truly want because feelings of fear, anxiety and worry are driving your actions. 

I often work with clients who are thinking about going for a degree because they believe it is the next practical step. We actually first work on their burnout while putting their school on the back burner.

And a good portion of the time, many of them either decide not to get the degree because they have more clarity on what they want. 

OR they pick a different degree that is more aligned with what they want. 

But the big difference is that instead of making this decision for fear of not being enough, they are making their decision from empowerment and confidence. 

If you are thinking about going back to school and dealing with burnout, I invite you to pause and check into your reasons.

Are you doing this because you are excited and ready to do the work to build the next level of your career?

Or are you doing this to solve your burnout or prove something to other people?

Because the only reason you should ever go back to school is if you are clear on what you want to do and you like your reasons.

I believe in you and all your possibilities,

Mary B.

P.S. If you are thinking about what is coming next in your nursing career, stay tuned! This week there is a big announcement coming from the Burnout Ward.