subject: The Importance Of Self-care For Nurses [print this page] There are many competing stresses in the lives of nurses. The old adage, "Physician heal thyself!" has never been more true than in this age of long hours, work furloughs and overtime. Like many, individuals in this field labor in a workforce that is subject to budget deficient, increased workloads and uncertain futures. All of these things and many others make it necessary that every practicing individual take regular time out for personal mental and physical self-care.
One key aspect of nursing is learning to manage your emotional stress. This is one career in which learning what to keep and what to let go is imperative. Without focused and continuous attention given to this aspect of the job, people soon become unmotivated and burnt out and the level of care that is provided for others inevitably begins to drop.
This can result in continued less than stellar performance creating negative results both for the company and the individual. More than this however, it is likely that the subject will experience increased stress as the recognize deterioration in important aspects of life. Personal relationships can also begin to suffer.
Learning to effectively manage finances is also key to maintaining lasting happiness in a field that is known for high levels of stress. The ability to earn greater and greater amounts of money usually only comes at the sacrifice of larger and larger amounts of time. This can create a compromise between time spent with loved ones and money earned.
It is important to develop and keep a lifestyle that does not require excess overtime. Especially in light of the lasting recession, more and more nurses find that they have a sense of responsibility to work as much as possible. The result of not having a tailored plan that includes plenty of time to rest, refresh and renew is likely to create job resentment, work-related frustration, and other issues.
Fitness and dietary health are also key. Long hours spent on the feet and often grabbing bites of whatever is available will take its toll both physically and mentally. More studies than not show that adequate attention given to physical health results in a better capacity for peace and happiness. The mind and emotions respond well to a well-maintained physiology.
Companies do well to invest in providing employees that work long hours with the proper resources necessary to adapting regular habits that are conducive to their physical well-being. This can come in the form of better access to fresh, vitamin-packed food selections and a designated workout area. This investment in the employee will ultimately pay for itself by boosting morale, lowering sick days, and creating a company-wide vigor about the work at hand.
Various online sites and communities offer invaluable information for nurses on self-care. While so much of the day is spent attending the needs of others, individuals rarely find the time to tend properly to themselves. With proper attention given to this area subjects will see a rapid improvement in many aspects of life.
