How to relax after a bad shift

[EDNURSE20]

I am a new grad, 6 months out. I work in the resource unit in my hospital, so work on different floors all the time. However whenever I work on the general med floor I always leave angry and frustrated. I hate that floor, can not stand working on it. The staff are rude, the workload is unsafe, I never feel supported. Plus I never wanted to work in general med. it is only this floor. Whenever I work any where else it such a pleasant experience. The staff are great, I enjoy my shift, and help is always available. I have have talk to my boss, who is aware I hate medical nursing. But she believes it is good experience for me early in my career. I plan to remain in this job till the end of the year, and then will start applying for permanent jobs on the floors I enjoy working in. But for know how do relax after a s**t shift? How do switch off and not think about what happened that day (because there's always something that happened)?

[CaffeinePOQ4HPRN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

#1 SLEEP

#2 BATH/SHOWER

A hot shower or (if I have time/aren't too tired) having a nice bath with lavender Epsom salts helps me feel human again after a brutal shift. Don't know what it is, but something about being in water... being clean... helps me feel so refreshed and just feel so much better.... it's so simple, but has been very healing. It helps every time.

I'm no spendthrift! I don't shop often for clothes or materialistic things. I buy things as I need them; like to save my hard earned pennies and am practical. For me, where I will spend (when I can) is on self care because I see it as an investment in my health/LIFE. So, I allocate/adjust a budget for it when it's feasible. Lately, on my days off, I will get a pedicure to take care of & show love to my feet for keeping me standing throughout 12 hr shifts..... As often as I can budget (easier now that I have health benefits) I'll also make an appointment with an RMT for a massage, and a chiropractor for an adjustment to take care of my back. Because nursing does s#it to your back over the years... amirite ladies and gents?!

I think of self-care as a sort of conversation and acknowledgement with my body for its hard work. I have a naturally goofy personality, and I used to be a PAEDS nurse so I am used to talking in a certain way (if this makes sense to anyone, lol). Anyways, on my foot-care days, I'll literally sometimes say something like: "ok feet, thank you for getting me from point A to point B, for helping me get through these long shifts. Thank you for working. You're getting some love today". I make a point of thanking my body and then practicing actions of self-care to keep things healthy, and in turn...keep me happy. Which consequently, makes me a better nurse to my patients. Shouldn't everyone want their nurse to be happy? It's a reason why employers who don't provide extended health benefits to their nursing staff are downright scummy... working kind souls to the bone and don't offer assistance that enables them to maintain their own overall health? SCUM!

Honestly, if I am too tired to draw a bath. I'll have a nice warm shower but spend afterwards/before bedtime massaging my legs/arms/joints/body with really nice products. Lately, I've been using sweet almond oil and shea butter. Great for circulation, etc...

After a long, brutal shift where you've probably been abused (emotionally, psychologically,and hopefully not but possibly physically, etc...) and you're left feeling like you have had the sh#t kicked out of you...It's all about SELF CARE . The healthcare system is extremely unkind to nurses. So, make sure to invest in self care. LOVE yourself

I vary my self-care routine based on what I can afford, and there were many post-recession years where I wasn't making much money and couldn't afford the level of self-care I can now....but I have to tell ya, warm showers/baths followed with nice lotions have always been and remain the constant least expensive and most effect form of therapy to recover from a tough shift (at least for me). I hope if you try it, it helps you. I live in Toronto, ON, CA and you can get a bag of lavender Epsom salts for about $10-15, less for just plain Epsom salts (which is also just as effective ).

Hope everyone is well tonight and has a good day tomorrow :)