Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) Practice Exam

Building a strong support system is a highly recommended strategy for combating burnout, according to the American Psychological Association. Social support plays a critical role in managing stress and preventing burnout. When individuals have a strong network of colleagues, friends, or family, they can share their experiences, feelings, and challenges, which helps to alleviate feelings of isolation and overwhelm.

Support systems provide not only emotional backing but also practical assistance, such as sharing workload or offering advice on coping strategies. Engaging with a supportive community encourages resilience, self-care, and perspective shifts that can buffer against the stressors that contribute to burnout. This approach highlights the importance of connection and communication in maintaining mental health and well-being, particularly in high-stress environments like healthcare.

In contrast, seeking additional work responsibilities or increasing workload and stress exposure can exacerbate feelings of burnout by overwhelming individuals with more tasks and stressors without providing adequate relief or support. Minimizing social interactions can lead to isolation, which is detrimental to mental health and makes it harder to cope with stress. Therefore, fostering a strong support system stands out as the most effective means to combat burnout in a healthy and sustainable way.