Negative effects of nurse practitioner mom guilt

As a nurse practitioner, you’re no stranger to the challenges of balancing a demanding career with the responsibilities of being a parent. You strive to provide the best care for your patients while also being present for your family.

However, finding that balance is easier said than done. I know this all too well because I’ve been there—juggling the pressures of the clinic with the needs of my family, all while dealing with the overwhelming feeling of nurse practitioner mom guilt.

In this blog post, I want to share my personal journey through mom guilt as a nurse practitioner, how it affected my life, and the steps I took to reclaim my time and restore balance. If you’re struggling with similar challenges, I hope my story will resonate with you and offer some guidance on how to overcome this guilt while still excelling in your career.

The Weight of Mom Guilt: My Story

For a long time, I found myself caught in a cycle that I couldn’t seem to break. After a busy day in the clinic, I would stay late at the office, trying to catch up on charting. It felt like I was constantly playing a game of catch-up, and no matter how hard I worked, I could never seem to get ahead. The longer I stayed at the office, the more I felt that I was sacrificing precious time with my kids.

That’s when the mom guilt started to set in. I would come home completely drained, with no energy left to be the kind of mom I wanted to be. My kids started to notice my absence, both physically and emotionally.

They would ask, “Why do you have to work all the time, Mom?” Hearing those words from my children was heartbreaking. I knew that I was missing out on important moments with them, and it was taking a toll on me.

The impact of my work-life imbalance didn’t stop there. My relationship with my husband also began to suffer. The time we had together was often overshadowed by my exhaustion and stress from work. We spent less quality time together, and our relationship started to feel strained. I knew something had to change to overcome the nurse practitioner mom guilt, but I wasn’t sure where to start.

Recognizing the Need for Change

It took some time for me to come to terms with the fact that my work habits were not sustainable—not just for my own well-being, but for my family as well. I realized the negative effects of nurse practitioner mom guilt. And if I didn’t make a change, the relationships that mattered most to me would continue to suffer. I needed to find a way to be both the dedicated nurse practitioner and the present, engaged mother and wife that I wanted to be.

This realization was my turning point. I started to look for solutions that would allow me to manage my time more effectively. I knew I needed to reduce the amount of time I spent charting, but I also wanted to make sure that my documentation remained thorough and accurate. It was a delicate balance, but I was determined to find a way to overcome the nurse practitioner mom guilt.

Strategies for Overcoming Nurse Practitioner Mom Guilt

If you’re a nurse practitioner dealing with mom guilt, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Here are some strategies that helped me reclaim my time and restore balance in my life:

1. Prioritize Efficient Charting Practices

One of the biggest contributors to my lack of work-life balance was the amount of time I spent on charting. I realized that I needed to streamline my charting process to reduce the time I spent at the office after hours.

I began using problem-focused charting templates that allowed me to document patient visits more efficiently while still capturing all the necessary information. By doing so, I was able to complete my charts faster and spend less time on documentation. This significantly helped the nurse practitioner mom guilt!

***Join the STOP Charting at Home Membership for more information and support!

2. Set Boundaries with Work

It’s easy to let work spill over into your personal time, especially when you’re trying to catch up on tasks like charting. However, setting clear boundaries between work and home life is crucial for maintaining balance and overcoming nurse practitioner mom guilt.

I started setting specific times for when I would stop working for the day, and I stuck to those boundaries. This helped me to be more present with my family and reduced the nurse practitioner mom guilt I felt for not spending enough time with them.

3. Delegate and Automate When Possible

As nurse practitioners, we often take on a lot of responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean we have to do everything ourselves. I found that delegating certain tasks to other members of the healthcare team and using automated tools, such as Freed AI Medical Scribe, helped me to manage my workload more effectively.

These tools allowed me to focus on the most important aspects of patient care while reducing the time I spent on administrative tasks. Delegation and automation helped decrease the time I spent charting and improved the nurse practitioner mom guilt.

****Learn more about Freed AI Medical Scribe using my affiliate link.

4. Prioritize Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential for taking care of others. I realized that I needed to prioritize my own well-being if I wanted to be there for my family and my patients. I started making time for activities that helped me recharge, such as exercise, meditation, and spending quality time with my loved ones.

When I took care of myself, I had more energy and patience for both my work and my family. Self-care played a significant factor in overcoming my nurse practitioner mom guilt.

5. Communicate with Your Family

One of the most important steps I took was opening up to my family about the challenges I was facing. I explained I was struggling with nurse practitioner mom guilt. I explained to my kids and my husband why I was working so much and how I was working on making changes.

This communication helped them understand my situation, and it also made me feel more supported. We started finding ways to spend quality time together, even if it was just a few minutes of uninterrupted time each day.

Moving Forward and Finding Balance

Overcoming nurse practitioner mom guilt is not an easy journey, but it’s one that’s worth taking. By making intentional changes in how you manage your time and setting clear boundaries, you can find a better balance between your career and your family life.

For me, the key was recognizing that I didn’t have to choose between being a dedicated nurse practitioner and a present, loving mother. With the right strategies and support, it’s possible to excel in both roles. And most importantly, it’s okay to let go of the guilt. You’re doing your best, and that’s what truly matters.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by mom guilt, know that you’re not alone, and there are solutions that can help you regain control of your time. I’m here to support you on this journey, just as I’ve supported myself through it. Together, we can find the balance we all deserve.

More Resources for Nurse Practitioners

Balancing your responsibilities as a nurse practitioner and a mother can be challenging, but it’s possible to overcome mom guilt and reclaim your time.

If you are struggling with nurse practitioner mom guilt because you are charting at home, I invite you to join my STOP Charting at Home Membership!

This membership is for the nurse practitioner who wants to:

-Spend MORE time with family and LESS time charting on nights and weekends.

-Have the energy to play with their children and connect deeper with their spouse.

-Create the better work-life balance they thought they would have as a nurse practitioner!

This membership was designed for you, the overwhelmed nurse practitioner who want to improve your charting so you can create a better work-life balance and finally STOP charting at home!

Join the ​STOP Charting at Home Membership​, get your life back now!

***Full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if you purchase Freed AI Medical Scribe. This is at no extra cost to you, but does help me continue to run The Nurse Practitioner Charting School. Thank you for your support!