Mental Health Self-Care Practice for Nursing Students By Diane Ackroyd and Barbara Krainovich-Miller
The mental health of nursing students wasn ’ t of top concern when we were students back in the early 80s and 60s , respectfully . At that time , the mantra for nursing students and nurses was “ patients ’ needs come first and foremost .” As students , we were both interested in mental health nursing ( MHN ); when we heard this mantra , we always thought there was something off about that view . Later , when we got to know each other over the years , first in a student / faculty relationship , then as mentee / mentor , and later as psychiatric mental health ( PMH ) colleagues , we realized that the airlines had a more realistic care mantra for their passengers . Before take-off , flight attendants instruct passengers on various safety measures , including “ first put on her / his oxygen mask before trying to help someone else .” It made sense to us ; you can ’ t help others if you can ’ t breathe .
Health professionals need to prioritize their own mental and physical health if they expect to help their patients to the fullest . It is common knowledge that nursing students experience high-stress levels ( Gavin et al ., 2009 ); they must learn self-care techniques early in their program to prevent burnout early in their careers .
As PMH nurses , reframing negative situations is a significant part of our framework ; we are always helping patients find a more positive way to look at and respond to their issues . The adverse outcomes of the COVID pandemic are well documented : the unthinkable number of people who died and the significant number of nurses who left the profession due to burnout . Healthcare professional burnout is a severe crisis and highlights the need to teach self-care to clinicians and students regardless of the setting .
The following mental health self-care strategies are based on our combined PMH therapist practices with patients / clients ; we found them useful for ourselves . All six strategies aim at decreasing stress that jeopardizes a person ’ s mental and physical well-being . As an old song says , “ You can ’ t have one without the other .” Acknowledging you need support , something we all need at some time or another , and then seeking another supportive person ’ s help go hand in hand .
Strategy # 1 : Make time for yourself to do something you enjoy . Take time and think about activities that you enjoy and help you relax . Write them in priority order on your phone . Then , start trying them out when you aren ’ t stressed . Then , it will be easier to refer to these activities when you start feeling stressed . These activities don ’ t have to be complex . They can range from taking a walk to observe nature , reading or listening to a fun book , practicing yoga , riding a bike , listening to your favorite music playlist , or even engaging in a creative hobby such as painting , gardening , or playing an instrument .
Set your goal for the week . Start slowly and work up to doing one self-care activity daily . Increase your chances of meeting this goal by marking it on your calendar , like you would a class or clinical day . What could be more important than your well-being ? As soon as you hear a negative thought pop into your head , such as , “ I don ’ t have time , I have to study , there ’ s laundry to do , and so forth ,” replace it with “ I must do it . I have to put my mental and physical well-being first .
Strategy # 2 : Plan Sleep / Diet / Activity Establish and maintain a daily routine of regular sleep , healthy meals , and exercise . We know this is easier said than done . It takes discipline , persistence , and time management . Think of it as part of the essential framework you need to succeed in your future nursing career . You need to find ways that help you be patient and kind to yourself . For instance , start using the sleep / wake app on your phone to not only set alarms for your “ bedtime ” and “ waketime alarm .” A gentle evening reminder signals that it is time to get ready for bed . Remember , your brain is still growing until you are 26 years old , which means most students need eight to ten hours of sleep each night ( Arain et al , 2013 ). Also , while getting ready for sleep , set an intention : “ I will get a good night ’ s sleep and wake refreshed and happy in the morning .” Keep practicing this one . It takes about two months to develop a habit , longer for some and shorter for others ( Keller et al ., 2021 ).
A weekly plan for simple , healthy meals , and quick snacks will help keep you on track . If you are like most students , you don ’ t have time to shop and cook daily . Make a grocery list of the week ’ s healthy meals and snacks before grocery shopping or ordering groceries for delivery . Consider whether you have a friend or family member who loves to cook and trade on that strength ; propose that if you do the weekly shopping and share in the cost of the food , they will cook the week ’ s meals . It sounds like a win / win solution .
28 NSNA IMPRINT • NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023 • www . nsna . org