Are You a Burnt-Out NP? The Answer Might Not Be a New Job.
To the FNP who just wrote in a Facebook group, "I absolutely hate this job," and is feeling lost and hopeless: I see you. I’ve felt every single one of those emotions. The heavy feeling in your chest, the sense that this was all a huge mistake… that was me. I’d been working as an NP for more than a year and I convinced primary care was the problem. So I changed jobs. And then I changed jobs again. And guess what? The problem was still there.
It wasn't until my mother pointed out the obvious that I realized the common denominator in all my burnout experiences was me. It was my work style, my habits, and my unwillingness to set boundaries that were driving me into the ground.
If you’re feeling the same way, I want to share the five key mindset shifts and practical changes I made to go from feeling overwhelmed to feeling in control. This isn't about self-care or mindfulness; it’s about tactical, day-to-day strategies to manage your workload.
From reactive to proactive. I used to walk into a patient room with no plan. I'd try to address a laundry list of issues on the fly, and my 15-minute visits would drag on forever. Now, I have a 2-minute pre-visit routine to review a patient's chart and go in with a clear game plan. This simple shift saves me time and keeps me focused.
From people-pleasing to prioritizing. My biggest downfall was trying to solve every problem in one visit. I'd let patients ramble and try to fix a year's worth of issues. Now, I explain our time limit upfront. We tackle their top one or two priorities today and schedule a follow-up for the rest. This sets healthy boundaries and manages patient expectations.
From chaotic scheduling to purposeful booking. I used to let the call center fill my schedule with chaotic, complex visits. Now, I take control. Anyone with a chronic condition or a new medication leaves with a follow-up appointment that I book myself. This ensures my schedule is a mix of both new, complex patients and easy, purposeful follow-ups, making my day far more manageable.
From "just in case" labs to purposeful testing. When I was an NP student, I watched my preceptors order a standard set of labs for almost every patient. I adopted this practice, thinking it was the right thing to do. The problem was, I had no idea what to do with the mildly abnormal results. I ended up working up a bunch of slightly abnormal findings for no reason, which created a ton of unnecessary work. Now, every lab serves a specific purpose. Anemia workup is for my teenager with menorrhagia. A lipase is for the patient on a GLP-1 with acute epigastric pain. Thyroid testing is only for people expressing symptoms. This change not only saves me time but also makes interpreting results much simpler. Either I find what I was looking for, or I don't. The next steps are always clear.
From endless communication to efficient contact. I used to be bogged down by phone calls and portal messages. Patients would want to discuss lab results and medication refills over the phone. Now, I have a clear system: I only call for urgent results. All normal or non-urgent results get a portal message. If a patient wants to discuss a symptom or issue, they get a follow-up appointment. This protects my administrative time and ensures I'm working smarter, not harder.
The truth is, your employer will happily take whatever you're willing to give. They won't tell you to leave on time or stop working through your lunch break. You have to be the one to create those boundaries.
Don't let burnout convince you that you're not meant for this line of work. While a new job might help in certain situations, the habits you've developed will follow you. The real change happens when you identify and fix the behaviors that are causing your overwhelm.
Ready to get back in the driver's seat of your career?
I created the Chart Smart Master Class to teach you the exact strategies I use every day to get my work done within a 40-hour week. This isn't about being a better person—it's about being a smarter provider.
The full course is launching soon, but you can get a head start. Module 1 is available now as a free preview for anyone who joins the waitlist. Sign up below to be the first to know when enrollment opens and to get instant access to the first complete module.
