There are a number of recommendations I could make to assist nurses on my unit with taking better care of themselves. Some of these suggestions could be taken by the nurses themselves and others would be recommendations to the organization. Nurses are caregivers and they are often so busy worrying about and caring for others that they minimize their own importance. Fortunately, I have learned very early on in life that unless you effectively care for yourself you are unable to care for others. How can you give anything to anyone else when you are so depleted mentally, physically and emotionally that you have nothing left to give? The following are some suggestions I would make:
1. Eat a well-balanced diet. Nurses often tell their patients this but then they don't do it themselves. Eating junk causes us to be sluggish and our minds are not as sharp. It also inhibits good digestion which can be very disruptive to our health and wellness in general.
2. Sleep! Sleep is a restorative process for the mind, body and spirit. A proper amount of sleep is important in order to perform at your best.
3. Along with sleep, when you're ill you need to rest! You may think you're doing your unit a favor when you come in to work vomiting with a 103 degree fever but, not only are you unable to work at your optimal level and are potentially getting others sick, but you are also making your recovery time significantly longer. Call out of work for a night or two so that you can come back feeling refreshed and ready to go!
4. Do not work too much overtime. Sure, employers love their "motivated" employees who want to work all the time and make the "big money" but you are wearing yourself down and you will burn out quickly! People need time to themselves. It's important. Sure, working fewer hours might mean that your paychecks won't be as large as you would like, but taking time for yourself also doesn't mean you need to be hitting the bars every night you're off. Pour yourself a glass of wine, settle up with a good book or your favorite movie, and just have some "you" time. This is just as important, if not more important, than a fat paycheck. Let's face it, tomorrow could be our last day for any one of us. How would you want to look back at your life? As a workaholic who didn't take any time for themselves? Or as someone who has no regrets? I choose the latter. Of course if the workaholic thing is for you then who am I to judge?
5. On the other hand, management should be ensuring that their employees are not working too many days in a row. I work with someone who will schedule herself 9 nights straight! She says it helps her with her sleep pattern but regardless, by the end of those 9 nights you can tell that she's completely burnt out and wasted! This is a danger to the patients and to herself! She's a fantastic nurse and I know she would never intend any harm upon her patients. She would be absolutely devastated if she did anything to put a patient in danger. But there is no way working 9 nights in a row is healthy. Period.
6. Cafeterias at hospitals need to have earlier/later hours. The fact that my hospital cafeteria closes at 7 PM is ridiculous. I come in to work at 6:30! Try as I may, sometimes I just don't have the time to pull together a well-rounded meal and it would be nice to know that I could at least get something half-decent in the cafeteria. Would staying open until 10 be too much to ask? Sheesh!
7. Finally, treat yourself. I make sure to get a massage at least once a month. Some may see it as I'm spending money that I don't have, or I have all this time because I don't have kids yet, etc. I'm sure the list of excuses one can come up with could go on and on. I see it as wellness. I am a high anxiety, high stress person who carries all of that stress in between my shoulder blades, neck and lower back. Massages help to release stress and toxins. And, quite honestly, they just feel really darn good! I work hard and I deserve it! So, whether it be a massage, a mani/pedi, or a weekend getaway... please, treat yourself! You will come back feeling refreshed and ready to roll!
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