Why prioritize self-care?
Self-care is the process of engaging in intentional acts to maintain and enhance one’s physical, emotional and mental well-being. This can be as simple as ensuring sufficient sleep and proper nutrition but can also include focused care on a specific area to relieve stress.
Regardless of the profession, self-care is important for all individuals. However, in the field of nursing, it is all the more important because of the nature of the job.
- Repeated exposure to trauma
- Long hours and erratic schedules
- Need for enormous levels of compassion and empathy
The demands of the job can cause exhaustion, emotional detachment and compassion fatigue; and make you vulnerable to stress, anxiety and depression.
Additionally, the stakes are higher as the quality of care you provide could affect patient safety and health.
A healthy caregiving work force creates a positive environment and thereby ensures compassionate and attentive care. The American Nurses Association’s (ANA) code of ethics for nurses encourages them to focus on caring for themselves along with the patients they look after.
In order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, it is vital that you take time out for yourself to invest in self-care. Developing a focused regimen of self-care can help prevent burnout. It could include
- Physical fitness
- Nutrition
- Healthy social interactions
- Mindfulness or other relaxation techniques
- Setting boundaries
- Using available resources
- Developing interests outside of workÂ
Organizations should ensure regular shift systems, rotation in tasks, a safe workplace and support groups for nurses to be able to express themselves. If these provisions are not available in your workplace, you must ask for them.
Ignoring burnout symptoms in nurses can have far reaching consequences on not only themselves but also on the patients they care for.
- Errors in administering medications to patients
- Diminished empathy
- Failure to meet hygiene protocol
- Lack of motivation to go to work
Self-care is vital to psychiatric nursing. It is not an antidote but a vitamin, essential for your wellbeing. Start your nursing career with it integrated into your routine. Don’t wait to burn out!
References
Self-Care for Nurses: Why it matters | Bradley University Online. (n.d.). https://onlinedegrees.bradley.edu/blog/self-care-for-nurses
Self-Care for Nurses: How to Prioritize yourself when caring for others | Spring Arbor University. (n.d.). https://online.springarbor.edu/news/self-care-for-nurses
Mackay, C. (2023, December 27). Nurses’ mental health matters | British Nursing Association. British Nursing Association. https://www.bna.co.uk/news/nurses-mental-health-matters-self-care-strategies-and-resources
Williams, S. G., Fruh, S., Barinas, J. L., & Graves, R. J. (2021b). Self-Care in nurses. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 41(1), 22–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jradnu.2021.11.001
