Stress is something every person has to deal with. Some professions and fields entail greater levels of tension anxiety than others, however.
Nurses, in particular, are prone to high levels of stress and some of them aren’t skilled or conscientious about managing their symptoms. Whether it’s the long hours, staffing shortages, or having to deal with difficult patients, there’s rarely an easy day for an on-call nurse.
As a result, if you’re a nurse, you need to know how to cope with stress while you’re on the job.
Identifying the sources of stress
Can you accurately name the cause or causes of your stress? As a nurse, there are any number of possibilities, and it’s vital for you to recognize what sets you off.
Common causes of stress in a medical setting include long shifts, emotional encounters, exposure to physical trauma, and the fast-paced nature of the job. Properly handling your stress is key to both your own personal health and the health of the patients under your care.
According to a study on stress in the health-care professions, “225 physicians reported 76 incidents in which they believe patient care was adversely affected by their stress.” In other words, that means that on average, one out of every three physicians can name a time when his or her own level of stress affected the care of a patient.
That’s a striking statistic and cause for alarm if it’s not taken care of.
Strategies for coping with stress
Do you know what the fifth tenet of the American Nurses’ Association Code of Ethics says? It requires nurses to attend to their own needs and to “preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth.”
Therefore, in order to abide by the code, you must learn how to reduce and relieve your stress. Here are a few tips on ways to do that:
Get enough sleep. As a nurse, you probably spend your time telling patients to rest up and get some sleep, but are you following your own advice? You should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep between each shift. As you well know, your body uses this time to recover, and sufficient sleep will give you the energy you need to tackle issues and challenges with greater stamina and clarity.
Learn to say no. One powerful word — no — could change your life. When you’re stressed out and anxious, having learned to say no can be a lifesaver. Whether you’re responding to a friend asking you to enjoy a night out just before a shift, or a boss asking you to extend yourself further than you’re comfortable, it’s important to acknowledge you can’t do everything and make choices accordingly.
Maintain social relationships. Eight- and 12-hour shifts can leave you wanting to curl up in your room by yourself, but it’s important to maintain social relationships and enjoy your life outside of work. Use this time to talk about things other than your job, and focus on separating yourself from your responsibilities.
Take a step back. When you feel stress building up inside of you, don’t be afraid to take a step back and breathe. Simply walking outside for a few minutes can give you a little time to recharge and avoid making poor decisions.
Eat a balanced diet. Finally, a well-balanced diet is critical to diminishing stress. Try reducing processed foods and incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. If possible, bring your own meals to work and avoid the temptation to eat vending machine selections and fast food.
Auto insurance for nurses
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This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
As a night shift nurse, your schedule is anything but normal (not that a nurse’s schedule is normal). While the rest of us are sound asleep in our beds, you – the night time warrior of the caring – are on a different time shift.
Nurses who have to sleepduring the day face troubles people wouldn’t think about at night, all the lights are off, it’s mostly quiet outside, and usually, everything seems calm BUT as a night shift nurse, everything is backward. Because your night time is during the daytime, you need the know the secrets to getting the best sleep you can.
Turn off the distractions: Put your phone on silent, turn off the tv, and get your mind ready for some sleep.
Darken the room: Hang up dark curtains, grab an eye mask to wear, and even consider earplugs to blackout the light and noise.
Exercise Daily: Hit the gym or just go on a 30-minute walk, anything that will help you release stress and pent up energy.
Cool Temperature: Keeping the room at a cooler temp can help your body relax.
Avoid Caffeine: As the shift winds down, slowly stop drinking that coffee or soda and by the time you get home your body won’t feel as stimulated.
Exercise: Eating right, exercising daily, and drinking water also keeps your body on a natural daily routine.
The more you make your environment look and feel like nighttime, the easier it will be for your body to adapt for daytime sleeping.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Nurses work long hours around the clock to save lives and provide patients with the best level of care; however they do so much more than just physical care. Nurses provide emotional support and educate patients and families on conditions, they create high-level treatment plans and assist doctors and patients with everything from surgery to simple everyday activities, and they even find time to provide support and soothe the anxious. Nurses do all of this and more while working with multiple patients at the same time!
Being a nurse is a highly emotional job that really takes its toll, yet nurses go into work every day expecting the unexpected with a smile on their faces. Nurses are at the heart of the healthcare system, yet they often don’t get the recognition they deserve. So, we have rounded up a list of companies that offer discounts to nurses as a, “thank you” to these strong men and women.
Each store is linked for you convenience, just click on the stores name, and it will direct you to their discount page!
Scrubs & Accessories
Happy Feet: offers discounts on shoes for hospital workers and free shipping
Quill: offers wholesale prices on medical supplies
Medex Supply: Nurses are available for discounts when they apply online and provide valid credentials
Healthcare Products & Samples
Bayer Consumer Health Products: free samples to medical professionals on brands like Aleeve, Bayer Aspirin, Claritin, Coppertone, Flintstone Vitamins, MiraLAX, One a Day Womens: Prenatal, Phillips’. Restrictions apply.
Aveeno: offers free patient samples and support material for medical staff
Eucerin: offers free product samples, patient education material, and coupons for medical staff
Clorox: offers free product samples, kits, and training material for medical staff. Restrictions apply.
Ilovefreebies.com: offers free healthcare product samples for medical staff
GovX: offers discounts to nurses for sporting and concert tickets, hotels, resorts, movie theatres, events, tours, and more when you sign up through their site
*Hundreds of more discounts for nurses (on food, clothes & accessories, travel, lifestyle, and technology) are available through ID.me when you sign up and verify your nurse status.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Have you lost the happy feeling that your job used to bring? Are you already annoyed by the thought of your job? Let’s find that joy and smile that you once had from being a nurse.
These 5 tips can make you feel more passionate about nursing:
1. Find a Support System. If you hate your job, most likely you will withdraw from the people that you work with. Research shows that your co-workers are the number one reason for loving your job. Find people that have similar interests and values as you. Don’t be afraid to make the first move of initiating a conversation. Smile. Offer help. Be a part of a community.
2. Let It Go. Being a nurse involves a ton of emotions. You, like a sponge, absorb some patient’s pain and that can take a toll. Learn that a patient’s struggle isn’t personal towards you and let that stress go. Focus on the best parts of the day, the good you’ve done for your patients.
3. Avoid Games. Don’t get sucked into office politics. It can be an easy trap to fall into but avoid at all costs. Take the different road and find a different joy in games on your phone or new hobbies.
4. Follow the Sunshine. Work can feel like a beat down after a while. So through the darkness, search for the sunshine. Find the joy in the office. Ask to help with a project or co-worker.
Finding joy in your job is a choice and takes practice. There will be hard days but look for the positive in each one. Remember the hobbies and happiness that is outside of work too.
5. Create a Bucket List – Nurse-Style. Focusing on the nursing goals you want to accomplish can serve as a source of inspiration. While you’re at it, why not make a list of the things you’ve already accomplished in your career – starting with making it through nursing school. Keep your lists with you and refer back to them when you feel the nursing blahs come on. You’ve done a lot and grown as a nurse, so give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it.
What helps you get through the hard days? Share with us in the comments.
Nurses face a highly demanding career with long hours and stressful situations. About 40% of nurses over the age of 30 experience burnout, anger, frustration and irritation from their job. And it’s even higher for nurses under the age of 30. Here are 3 easy ways to help control your stress when dealing with hectic shifts.
1. Stay organized. Take a few minutes before your shift to check over your work details for the day to help avoid distractions.
2. Work on clear communication skills. Good communication helps improve the care of patients and helps respond to the expectations of patients.
3. Change your perspective. If you’re having a bad day at work, step back and look at your day from a different angle. Being a nurse is a great career choice! It can be tempting to let bad feelings take over, but keeping focus on the positive can help you get through the day.
A nurse’s job can take a toll on your mind and body. With these easy stress reducing tips, you can help refocus on why you love being a nurse.
Now that winter is here; the winter blues can come fast. It’s not uncommon for this time of year to feel sluggish and sad. About 20% of people above the age of 20 have a hard time through this season. As a nurse, working a 12-hour shift can make the days feel longer, especially if you don’t get to see much sunshine, and feel like the days seem shorter. If you are feeling down during winter, we have tips to help make the season easier and keep the blues away.
• Eat a Healthy Diet: By eating enough protein, carbs, vitamins, and minerals can keep your nutrition on track. Drink enough water daily. Dehydration can cause fatigue and depression.
• De-clutter: Take on small jobs of getting rid of clutter to start. De-cluttering will give you a sense of accomplishment that makes you happier.
• Laugh: They say laughter is the best medicine, which is a big help if you get blue this time of year. Laughing reduces stress hormones that typically cause sadness for the winter season.
• Cheer Someone Else Up: Helping someone can help make yourself better.
• Get Enough Sleep: Long shifts can make for long days. If you can get a well-rested night of sleep, it will help lower stress.
• Exercise: Getting active can boost your mood and trigger positive feelings.
Being a nurse can be stressful, and having the winter blues doesn’t help either. Even if it means small steps, try some of these tips to help make the season pass and help boost your mood each day.
As a nurse, you probably spend your time telling patients to rest up and get some sleep, but are you following your own advice? You should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep between each shift. As you well know, your body uses this time to recover, and sufficient sleep will give you the energy you need to tackle issues and challenges with greater stamina and clarity.
Have you lost the happy feeling that your job used to bring? Are you already annoyed by the thought of your