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Do you ever wonder if the only way to feel better is to leave hospice?

In this episode, I'm sharing a personal update about a big transition in my own nursing career and why I'm choosing to focus even more on supporting hospice nurses.

Hospice work is deeply meaningful, but it can also be incredibly demanding. Many of us entered this field because we felt called to it. We love our patients and families. We believe in the work.

But somewhere along the way, many hospice nurses begin to lose themselves.

The long days, the charting, the emotional weight, the constant giving, and the feeling that there's never enough time can leave us wondering how much longer we can keep going.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why loving hospice and feeling exhausted can exist at the same time
• The hidden cost of always putting everyone else first
• Why waiting for a "less busy season" rarely works
• How small, personalized acts of self-care can help you stay in the work you love
• Why you don't have to choose between caring for others and caring for yourself

I also share some of my own journey, including the lessons I've learned about boundaries, burnout, and the importance of putting ourselves on our own priority list.

I'd Love to Hear From You

As part of my Hospice Well-Being Project, I'm having conversations with hospice nurses to better understand the real challenges you're facing and to help create meaningful solutions.

If you're a hospice nurse and would be willing to share your experiences, I'd love to connect with you.

Schedule a conversation here:
https://www.calendly.com/jennylytlern/hospice

Free Resources

You can also find free stress relief and self-care resources at:
https:///www.jennylytle.com

And remember...

You don't have to leave hospice to feel better.

Self-care isn't selfish. It's the only way we can continue to care for others and live our best lives.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

During Nurses Week, there’s often a mix of emotions.

Sometimes it feels validating and appreciated. Other times, it can feel like pizza parties and tote bags are being used to cover up very real struggles nurses face every day.

In this episode of The Nurses' Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, Jenny talks about one of the most common things she’s hearing from nurses right now:

“I’m always behind and trying to catch up.”

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Jenny shares:

•  Why so many nurses feel like they can never catch up 
•  How burnout happens slowly over time 
•  Why “it’ll get better soon” often doesn’t work 
•  What reclaiming your evenings could actually look like 
•  How burnout can feel even heavier when you truly love hospice work 
•  Why intentional, personalized stress relief matters 

Jenny also opens up about her own hospice burnout journey and how slowly the work she once loved began to feel overwhelming.

If you’ve been charting late, struggling to disconnect from work, feeling exhausted, or wondering why nursing feels so much harder than it used to — this episode is for you.

Reflection Question

If you finished work on time, had your charting done, and could fully enjoy your evening… what would that change for you?

Mentioned in This Episode

•  The Hospice Nurses Wellbeing Project 
•  Possible upcoming workshop: Reclaiming Your Evenings & Loving Your Work Again

Connect with Jenny

DM the word ENJOY to Instagram for more information about upcoming support and resources.

Reminder

Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s essential if we want to continue caring for others and living our best lives.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

Are you a hospice nurse feeling more exhausted than your workload alone can explain?

In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom, Jenny Lytle, RN, explores emotional exhaustion in hospice nursing—and why it’s not just about caseload, charting, or long shifts.

You’ll learn:

•  Why hospice nurses carry more than they realize 
•  How emotional experiences build up throughout the day 
•  A simple 30-second awareness practice to help release stress 

If you’re experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or emotional overload, this episode offers validation and a practical starting point for self-care.

🔗 Get the companion reset practice: https://jennylytle.com/newsletter

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

After an unexpected injury and a couple of months away from the podcast, I’m finally back — and this pause brought more clarity than I ever expected.

In this episode, I’m sharing what happened, what this season taught me, and why The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN is shifting to focus more intentionally on the emotional realities of hospice nursing.

After 20 years in hospice case management, on-call, and leadership roles, one thing has become increasingly clear:

Hospice nurses carry a lot.

Emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

This new season will center more on supporting hospice nurses through practical self-care tools, emotional resilience, and honest conversations about what this work really feels like.

I’m also introducing The Hospice Nurse Well-Being Project and inviting hospice nurses to participate in Hospice Nurse Conversations — relaxed, confidential 20–30 minute conversations about the realities of this work.

💛 If you’re a hospice nurse and would like to share your story, you can sign up here:
https://calendly.com/jennylytlern/hospice

Next episode:
Why hospice nurses carry so much — and why it’s not just about the workload

Until next time, remember:

Self-care isn’t selfish.
It’s essential if we want to continue to care for others and live our best lives.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

If the work feels heavier than it used to, you’re not failing — you’ve been carrying a lot.

This episode explores the cumulative emotional weight of caregiving and why it adds up over time.

You’re not weak for feeling it. You’re human.

Over time, caregiving work leaves a mark.

Not from one shift, one patient, or one hard conversation — but from everything that accumulates along the way.

In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle talks about the cumulative emotional weight of caregiving work and how it quietly builds over the years.

You’ll hear why feeling more tired, tender, numb, or emotionally full doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’ve been impacted by meaningful work that asks a lot of you.

This episode offers validation, compassion, and permission to acknowledge what you’ve been carrying without needing to fix or unpack it all at once.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How emotional weight accumulates over time in caregiving roles

Why this weight doesn’t always show up as burnout

What numbness, irritability, or disconnection can really mean

Why needing support doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for this work

A gentler question to ask instead of “What’s wrong with me?”

This episode is especially meaningful for nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who feel like the work has changed them — and want reassurance that they’re not alone in that experience.

🔑 Key Takeaways / Action Steps

Feeling heavier over time doesn’t mean you’re failing

Cumulative emotional weight is a normal response to meaningful work

You don’t have to process everything to acknowledge it

Support is not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of impact

You deserve spaces where the weight is understood

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

Rest doesn’t just happen — it often needs a transition.

In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle explains why going straight from a shift into the rest of your life can leave you feeling wired, tense, and unable to relax — and what actually helps.

Instead of trying to “flip a switch,” this episode offers gentle, practical ways to help your nervous system shift out of nurse mode and into a softer, safer place.

You’ll learn how small, intentional transitions make rest possible — without guilt, perfection, or rigid boundaries.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why caregivers often stay in work mode long after a shift ends
• How skipping transitions keeps your nervous system on high alert
• Simple pause points that help your body shift gears
• Why physical cues matter more than willpower
• How releasing responsibility makes rest more accessible

This episode is especially helpful for nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who move from role to role without a break and want a kinder, more realistic way to unwind.

Next episode preview: The cumulative emotional weight of caregiving work — and how it builds over time.

🔑 Key Takeaways / Action Steps

• You don’t need rigid boundaries — you need transitions
• Your body needs help shifting out of work mode
• Small, repeatable cues are more effective than willpower
• Releasing responsibility doesn’t mean abandoning others
• Transitions are a practice — not something to perfect

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

If rest feels uncomfortable, frustrating, or even unsafe — you’re not doing anything wrong.

In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle explores why rest feels so hard for nurses and caregivers, even when you’re exhausted and know you need it.

You’ll learn how conditioning, nervous system patterns, and identity all play a role — and why the resistance you feel doesn’t mean rest isn’t for you. It means you’re unwinding years of responsibility.

This episode offers reassurance, insight, and permission to approach rest in a way that actually feels doable.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why caregivers are taught (often unconsciously) that rest must be earned
• How a constantly alert nervous system makes it hard to slow down
• Why rest can feel uncomfortable or unsafe at first
• How identity and caregiving roles affect your ability to rest
• A gentler reframe that makes rest feel more accessible

This episode is especially helpful for nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who feel tired but wired, guilty when resting, or unsure how to truly slow down.

Next episode preview: Practical ways to transition out of nurse mode — without building hard boundaries or walls.

🔑 Key Takeaways / Action Steps

• Feeling restless during rest doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong
• Rest resistance often comes from conditioning and nervous system patterns
• You’re not bad at resting — you’re unwinding responsibility
• Rest doesn’t have to mean stopping everything
• You don’t have to rest perfectly to benefit from it

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

Hospice work is sacred — and it’s heavy.

If you find yourself replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, or feeling like the emotional weight of the day follows you home, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse and stress-relief coach Jenny Lytle shares gentle, practical ways to release the emotional weight of a hard shift — without guilt, without “fixing,” and without needing better boundaries.

You’ll learn why carrying work home doesn’t mean you’re too sensitive or doing it wrong — and how to begin transitioning out of nurse mode in a way that honors both your patients and yourself.

✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why caring deeply makes it harder to “turn off” after work
• How your nervous system stays on high alert after a hard shift
• Three gentle, menu-style options to help you set the work down
• Why consistency matters more than perfection when it comes to self-care
• How kindness toward yourself creates more relief than discipline ever will

This episode is especially helpful for hospice nurses, hospice professionals, and caregivers who feel emotionally full, exhausted, or wired after work and want practical support that actually feels doable.

🎧 Next episode preview: Why rest feels so hard — even when you’re exhausted and know you need it.

Key Takeaways / Action Steps

• You’re not broken for carrying work home — you care deeply
• The goal isn’t to care less, but to transition out of the role
• Choose one gentle reset — body, thought, or ritual
• Consistency > perfection
• Rest becomes possible when your nervous system feels safe

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

In this opening episode of a new season of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, hospice nurse of 20 years Jenny  invites you to slow down and take a Monday moment for yourself.

This episode isn’t about fixing anything or adding another task to your to‑do list. Instead, it’s about naming the emotional weight hospice professionals carry—and offering reassurance that what you’re feeling is normal, human, and deeply connected to the sacred work you do.

Jenny speaks candidly about why hospice nurses often struggle to “leave work at work,” the mental replaying of conversations, the heaviness of patients’ stories, and the quiet exhaustion that can follow us home. Most importantly, she offers permission—permission to care for yourself without guilt and without believing you need to care less to survive this work.

This conversation sets the foundation for what’s coming next. In next week’s episode, Jenny will continue this discussion by sharing practical, actionable ways to begin releasing emotional stress and creating healthier transitions after your shifts.

✨ This episode is for you if you:

• Feel emotionally drained after work
• Struggle to mentally disconnect from hospice care
• Worry that prioritizing yourself might feel selfish
• Know something needs to change—but aren’t ready for a checklist yet

Gentle Takeaways:

Instead of “what to do,” this episode offers space to reflect and recognize:

• Emotional fatigue in hospice work is a byproduct of deep caring, not poor boundaries or weakness
• Loving your work and feeling weighed down by it can exist at the same time
• The challenge isn’t caring too much—it’s not having a way to set the work down
• You don’t need to get tougher or detach emotionally to keep going
• Giving yourself permission to pause is often the first step toward sustainable care

➡️ Next week: We’ll move from reflection to action, with simple, realistic strategies to help you release stress and protect your energy—without adding more pressure.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle

Send me a text - make sure to include your full phone number so I can reply (software blocks it) 💕

As the holidays approach, stress and emotional overload can quietly build—especially for nurses and caregivers who are used to putting everyone else first.

In this bonus episode of The Nurses’ Breakroom with Jenny Lytle, RN, Jenny offers a gentle, guided pause designed to help you slow down, reconnect with your inner wisdom, and settle your nervous system.

You’ll be guided through a HeartMath-inspired Quick Coherence® breathing practice, followed by reflective questions centered on gratitude, appreciation, and calm. There’s nothing to fix, plan, or achieve—just space to breathe, feel, and listen.

This short practice is perfect if you’re feeling overwhelmed, emotionally full, or simply craving a quiet moment that belongs just to you.

✨ What You’ll Experience

• A simple heart-focused breathing technique to promote calm
• Gentle guidance to shift into feelings of appreciation or care
• Space for reflection without pressure or expectation
• A grounding reset you can return to anytime during the holidays

🧘‍♀️ Try This

• Listen somewhere quiet if possible—but perfection isn’t required
• Let your breath be slow and natural
• If your mind wanders, gently return to the heart area
• Come back to this episode whenever you need a reset

This episode is a reminder: you don’t need to earn rest. You’re allowed to pause.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like there’s never enough time, I’ve got something just for you! Head to https://selfcareisntselfish.com to grab your FREE copy of my book, Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: The Compassionate Nurse’s Step-by-Step Guide to Personalized Stress Relief. It’s packed with simple, effective strategies to help you prioritize your needs—without guilt—so you can feel energized, focused, and ready to take on the day. Go to https://selfcareisntselfish.com 

Feeling stressed? Grab my quick and easy Busy Nurses' Guide to Less Stress for practical stress relief that truly fits into your life!  https://www.jennylytle.com/guide

Looking for connection with people who get the stress and self-care struggles of nurses and caregivers? Check out https://thenursesbreakroom.com 

Connect on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylytlern/

More ways to connect here: https://linktr.ee/jennylytle