From the Mayo Clinic here is a definition of resilience: the ability to bounce back from adversity and how this ability positively affects overall physical and mental health.
I've been a nurse for more than 23 years in various capacities and have witnessed great adversity in patients and families:
A family in our neighborhood lost their 2 y/o son to leukemia. As a legacy to their son, they established a fund-raiser for our local St Jude affiliate and have become spokesmen for childhood cancer support. They have also had another child, remain active in other community activities and though they still mourn the loss of their son, they have triumphed over this monumental tragedy.
My close friend has lost two jobs in the last two years thru no wrong doing of her own and has survived two strokes. She has gone from making >$100k/year to less than $30k/year. Yet, she still smiles, considers herself lucky to have good friends in her life and that the Lord allows her to wake up each day. She continually looks to the future.
Another friend found out, at age 23 that he has stage IV colorectal cancer. His faith in God sustains him and his wife and allows them to support their infant son throughout this ordeal. He greets everyone with a smile and asks how YOU are doing before you get to ask how HE is doing.
What makes these people so resilient? Is it their upbringing? Their faith? Something else? I don't know. However, I hope I develop it or earn it or can one day buy it!
And there are other steps that you can take to develop resilience.
In this day and age, we know as nurses, our world is all about change. To cope with the change, we all need to be resilient. Other steps we can take as nurses include:
Embrace change. Be the first in your unit to sign up for in-services on new equipment or procedures. Look to the positives of change.
Take care of yourself: (I know we've all heard this before but its true) - get enough sleep, especially if you are a shiftworker, drink water, exercise (aim for 30 minutes a day - it can be increments of 10 minutes) and overall, you have to be best YOU you can be!
Sign up to be on a committee. Be at the forefront of your unit. This might allow you to realize your place in the unit and also provide you with advancement potential.
Further your education. Get the BSN or MSN that will open doors. Bedside nursing can become more difficult as you age and getting that degree allows for more opportunities.
Don't let your age be the deciding factor. If you plan to work until you are 65 or beyond going back to school in your 40's or 50's is often doable.
Get your specialty certification. There can be financial incentives for this as well. It can also help you to be the expert on your unit or shift.
Volunteer to precept new nurses on your unit. Remember back to your days as a newbie: what did you appreciate, like or dislike? What do you wish had been taught during orientation?
Mentor new nurses. Be the nurse you want to work with!
So...in the end, what I learned is: in many cases, resilience is what YOU make of it.
