Welcome to the Stress Management Forum!

fluffwad · Mar 5, 2006

This is a wonderful idea!

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 5, 2006

Thank you for the intro, Deb!!

Welcome, everyone, to our new Health and Stress Management forum! This is a place where nurses can come to discuss health and wellness issues as they pertain to us........such as how we can best manage the stress inherent in the profession, and achieve a work/life balance that allows us to be the best we can be---for our families, for our work, for our social groups, for our churches, and especially for ourselves.

It has been said, many times, that we cannot care for others unless we care for ourselves first. While we have been very slow to use our power to change the workplace, that statement has never been more true than it is today, when our profession is changing so rapidly and our duties---and opportunities---continue to expand.

I would like this forum to be a place where we can share not only tips on managing our personal stresses, but ideas for adapting our jobs to meet our needs and those of our patients. So many nurses---myself included---have experienced burnout, loss of self-esteem, and stress-related illnesses because we persist in thinking that we have to do it the other way around......that we must bow to the increasing pressures and burdens placed on us by faceless corporate cost-cutters and healthcare facility administrators who couldn't care less about the price in human misery. It's time for a change......and where better to start than allnurses.com? :nurse:

Enjoy!!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Mar 5, 2006

Fantastic !! When I was going through my burnout period my allnurse cyber friends were all a wonderful source of support and information. I think this is going to be a godsend forum. Thanks so much.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 5, 2006

Thanks, Dutchgirl.........I feel the same way, in fact that's why I asked our great Administrator, Brian, about starting this forum. Those of us who have been through burnout and lived to fight another day can offer hope to others who might be on the edge, and perhaps even help those who haven't experienced problems yet to prevent them from happening in the first place. We can also learn from each other---after all, not every nurse will experience burnout, but we all have frustrations, and we all have areas of life where we can use hints from others who have learned to manage their stress load. Welcome aboard!

JentheRN05, RN · Mar 5, 2006

Well - I personally don't have a whole lot of stress as far as nursing is concerned. However, my grandmother is dying of alzheimers, she no longer gets up, garbled speech and barely eats, difficulty drinking (needs thickit) is recently put in hospice (lives with my mom who is also a nurse).

I am in Michigan right now visiting her (although she sleeps all the time) and my family.

Beyond the regular life stresses (bills=money) I love my job.

I do have suggestions for stress. Several actually.

1st - learn relaxation/meditation/yoga/tai chi something you can do in a short amount of time because stress usually comes when your too busy to cope. (I used a relaxation technique on a patient whose BP was 180/96 brought it down to 138/82! - this works wonders)

2nd - learn guided imagery - I use it all the time with my patients. It works wonders (brought sats of a patient up with this before my own eyes went from 88% to 96% within secs)

3rd - a survival companion, someone you can go to to talk, family, friend, counsoler (no matter as long as you can talk)

4th - could easily be first if you learn to meditate with any of them. Such as crystal therapy, color therapy, aromatherapy.

5th - last resort - meds XanaX works wonders :) for the last ditch can't dig out and want to go home and already home type of panic (had to use it several times over the years myself when 1 2 & 3 didn't work).

I'm sure I have more but it's after midnight can't think of anymore right this minute.

If anyone needs any assistance with any of these feel free to PM me, I am a holistic practitioner in my other life :)

kel63 · Jan 9, 2008

DEar allnurses.com:

First of all congratulations to a very moving and energy boosting forum that could give us back our strength and vigor in life, career and in our relationships with anyone to patients and to our love ones.

Really these forum will help us a lot to unwind and share. Foremostly, sharing one's feelings and sentiments is one means to release our stress factors which we don't know that is slowly precipi-taing in our life that could make our decisions muddy , not clear and not clean cut. Another way of releasing stress is taking time for ourselves, like indulging to eat your die- seeking soul time to eat your favorite flavor of ice cream or a time for yourself like emersing in a parlor or in a health spa. .and just taking TIME OFF FOR YOURSELVES or if you want can spend the time with your love ones that you prefer to be with . Or maybe you want laze around and watch your favorite movie at home ..I hope next time I can share anything under the sun and anything inside a classroom setting.:icon_roll More power to the allnurses.com network, to all the contributors , educators, clinicians and nursing students.

shudokan-RN · Jan 18, 2008

I have found a great outlet for stress, and I have lost 7 lbs since october

Karate :w00t:

My son started in june, and it was fun watching him. I thought to myself I bet I could do that. I tested for my yellow belt last week, and passed. My dojo offers 2 adult classes during the week, M,W, or T,TH, and a 2 hour Sat class if you can't make the weekly class.

It is so much more fun than a gym, and the bonus is self defense.

So ladies and gentlemen check out your local karate school

Marci

KICHY · Jan 19, 2008

I have found a great outlet for stress, and I have lost 7 lbs since october
Karate :w00t:
My son started in june, and it was fun watching him. I thought to myself I bet I could do that. I tested for my yellow belt last week, and passed. My dojo offers 2 adult classes during the week, M,W, or T,TH, and a 2 hour Sat class if you can't make the weekly class.
It is so much more fun than a gym, and the bonus is self defense.
So ladies and gentlemen check out your local karate school
Marci

Hurray :balloons: to you ! Thats a very good outlet of freeing your stress out, by rekindling your inner energy back in line. . i have been an a badminton player but it has been one year now that I stopped . I have been thinking of your piece of line here, and I decided to put myself back in line to sports. Really sport during the day will help one to have a good night's rest and will leave your stress out by stretching your muscles and keeping your muscles be re-fuel back with :redbeathe blood TO YOUR HEART AND OTHER BODY SYSTEM. Thank you for your reminders. REALLY SPORT ADDS LIFE:pumpiron: .

molly01 · Feb 24, 2008

Thank you for the topic.

I am in burn out mode at this time. Recently I resigned from my place of employment. I worked there for over ten years. My last two performance evaluations were so low and it looked like my last one was going to be as well. My self esteem is so low. I am living on my husbands social security and pension as well as some savings. I feel so dependent. The job I had is now being offerred at a lower salary than I was making. It was a horrible experience. On my performance evaluation things were written that were not true as well as taking out of context. I was told that I

if it were not that I was a long time employee I would have been fired a long time ago. I was told that I make poor nursing judgements and that I have poor decisions making skills.

I did not know how to please my last supervisor. I had my counselor read my performance evaluation and she came to the same conclusion that I did. I could not find a way to please my supervisor. For instance, she did not want me to ask questions but when I made decisions on my own I was reprimanded. I have to go back to work to take care of myself but I am afraid.

Thank you for listening. :uhoh3:

Angelangie · Feb 29, 2008

Hi there fellow nurses of the world!

Firstly I want to say, DONT GIVE UP! EVER.

Their is an area of nursing for all of us, you just need to put yourself out their and find it!

Oh dear, Molly01......I know how you feel. I have too have been down the burned out, low income stage, low esteem etc... its a real downer right?

My advice is to take control of this situation and take time out. Maybe a change of career for little while.

I did and I loved it, customer services and selling for 6 mths. Would you believe us nurses are excellent at selling as we sell everyday whether you are aware of or or not (work it out) I topped the site in selling, I thought that was me. But it was only the start of my very rewarding nursing career because I felt empty in this job! I then began to appreciate my qualifiations.

After a few years of being back at nursing, and reading many self help books, leaving my drag of an unsupportive husband whom was energy draining (I am not saying leave your man by all means) and investing time in me and my career I have finally found an area of nursing where my passion lies..... teaching new graduates and other nurses. I could not ask for a more rewarding role. I get to teach others what I love to do.

My friends I could not express this any more than I can to you.

Believe in yourself, love yourself- and truly believe that you are the best at what you do.

We have the most repectful job in the world!

es I do beleive that because we focus on people, not the illness, not the medicene, the person.

It takes a truely gifted person to do what we do.

look after yourself, and open your mind to what could be your most rewarding career of your life.

PS thank you for all your inspirations!!

live4today, RN · Mar 9, 2008

thank you for the topic.
i am in burn out mode at this time. recently i resigned from my place of employment. i worked there for over ten years. my last two performance evaluations were so low and it looked like my last one was going to be as well. my self esteem is so low. i am living on my husbands social security and pension as well as some savings. i feel so dependent. the job i had is now being offerred at a lower salary than i was making. it was a horrible experience. on my performance evaluation things were written that were not true as well as taking out of context. i was told that i
if it were not that i was a long time employee i would have been fired a long time ago. i was told that i make poor nursing judgements and that i have poor decisions making skills.
i did not know how to please my last supervisor. i had my counselor read my performance evaluation and she came to the same conclusion that i did. i could not find a way to please my supervisor. for instance, she did not want me to ask questions but when i made decisions on my own i was reprimanded. i have to go back to work to take care of myself but i am afraid.
thank you for listening.

molly - i liked the advice and encouragement angelangie gave to you in her post. i was out of nursing a few years or more before returning to it. while out, i worked "other jobs", and found myself still being "the nurse" even at other odd jobs. nursing is infectious when nursing is your calling. it is my calling. if it weren't, i would have been able to put it down, and stay away when i was not working as a nurse. i am back in nursing now, and know that it is what i am supposed to be doing. i have signed up with a university to return to school, but i'm also checking into schools that are online so i can have more flexibility with working and taking classes as i am lone supporter of myself, and must work full time. do yourself a favor by embracing the opportunity afforded you by being able to venture out into something different for a time. you'll be surprised what you learn about yourself during that break...like how much stronger you are than you give yourself credit for, and how you will come to value a part of you that you've lost touch with. i am thankful for the time out of nursing...even out of work during that time...because i have learned so much about me...about my strengths and weaknesses, and that i really can do more than nursing if i had to...and do it well at that. :yeah: sometimes what others do against us to hurt us ends up being a true blessing. trust me...you will come out of this much stronger and richer spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. please come back and let us know all about it. pm me and share if you wish. :flowersfo:icon_hug: