Another poll was posted inside the same New Nurses Support Group ( 2020b ), asking how they felt about nursing . Of 159 nurses , 31 % said that they needed a break from nursing , 30 % are ready to leave the bedside or try a new specialty , and 24 % wished they coped better with stress . Although the data set was small , these numbers demonstrate a stark truth . The data validates why recent grads leave within the first three years of working . Newly graduated nurses do not receive the support from leadership or senior nurses on their unit and end up leaving due to frustration or the fear of losing the nursing license they worked so hard to earn .
What Needs to be Done To preserve our healthcare system , it is imperative that we retain current nurses and cultivate new nurses to enter the profession in the coming years .
Programs must be implemented to help prepare nurses to cope with the demands of nursing . Nursing schools can begin meeting this need by incorporating a self-care elective or free-standing course as part of their program . If healthcare facilities are incapable of making this investment to their nurses on-site , they should provide resources on finding self-care classes . Courses can even be taken online . When nurses feel empowered , and in control , they can cope with and manage stress successfully .
Self-care and mindset skills are transferable and can be used in the professional and personal setting . Self-care not only has unique advantages , but can also assist nurses in demonstrating self-care practices to their patients . I teach these valuable skills to my clients , and it has made significant changes in their lives .
How to Implement Self Care Courses Despite the abundance of information supporting a need to incorporate self-care classes , few universities have added them to the curriculum . One example of a successful implementation of a self-care course can be found at Florida Atlantic University ( FAU ), where undergraduate students ( and not only BSN completion students ) are taught self-care awareness . FAU ’ s recognition of self-care ’ s importance has led to the incorporation of self-care practices within the RN-BSN programs and several prerequisite programs .
Their course is called Caring for Self and can be taken as an elective . According to Cynthia Blum ( 2014 ), “ As the course progresses , guest speakers present content along with experiential opportunities that include steps to incorporate selected self-care activities ( e . g ., Feng Shui , labyrinth walks , pet therapy , nutritional changes ) into one ’ s life . Participants use reflective journaling to self-examine stressors . Students have indicated that they enjoyed learning about the various self-care practice activities .”
Mindset skills are also paramount in coping with stress . The healthcare system won ’ t change anytime soon ; however , we can change how we respond to the situation . Adopting skills such as gratitude , positive affirmations , self-awareness , conflict resolution , compartmentalization , deep breathing , and behavior modification can significantly affect the outcome of what we deem a negative situation .
For example , if you believe you will have a bad day at work because you have a heavy patient assignment , you will most likely have a bad day . Want to know why ? You are putting it out there into the universe for it to happen . Negative thoughts translate into how you feel and how you behave . If you believe you will have a bad day , it will come across in your behavior . Trust me ; your coworkers and patients can tell when you are in a bad mood . Energy is contagious .
Instead of thinking negative thoughts about the day , try to reframe the situation by acknowledging that it will be challenging and explore how you can make an impact in a patient ’ s life . If there is a problem or process that isn ’ t working on your unit , brainstorm and research how you can fix it . Fresh eyes always bring new innovative ideas . Reframing situations automatically shifts how you feel and how you react .
The Future of Teaching Self Care FAU ’ s self-care course is an excellent introduction to the subject of self-care and is a good starting point for the increasing need in this area . However , what is missing is that students need advanced skills to cope with stress from the workplace . A curriculum that breaks down self-care into the physical , emotional , spiritual , professional , and mental domains will help students recognize imbalances within those domains .
32 NSNA IMPRINT n NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 n www . nsna . org