What gets in the way of nurses being healthy?

[ElizabethScala1, BSN, MSN]

I am just really curious in a simple question: what gets in the way of a nurse being healthy?

The reason I ask this is nurses interact with patients and families all over the nation. Nurses teach wellness and health compliance to patients. Nurses educate patients and families on medications, nutrition, exercise, smoking, sleep, illness, disease, etc. Nurses interact with so many of our American public each and everyday.

I feel nurses are the role models and guides to the general public. I see nurses as the face of wellness and well-being. I believe that nursing can impact the entire countries health and lifestyle. We are facing a huge issue with obesity, chronic illness, and poor nutrition. Nurses can provide such major impact to so many out there!

But what gets in the way of nurses being well? What are the things that come up that make nurses put off their own well-being? Why do so many nurses let their own health suffer so they can care so much for their patients? I feel that nursing is always giving, empathizing, caring, and nuturing; which are great and wonderful experiences to share with another- but that is it. Nurses often are caring and nurturing another and letting their own care get neglected. I would love to hear from nurses out there what gets in the way. And then, what could make it easier to receive self-care and healthy balance into your lives?

[Guest717236]

Long hours, short of staff, no breaks, no lunch/dinner breaks, stressful workdays,rotating shifts, on call hours, etc, etc.

Learning to take care of yourself is always a work in progress depending

on the job you are in.

Nursing is unlike many professions. Many requirements are different from other jobs.

Each individual handles these challenges as they present. Many nurses

change hours, specialty or leave the profession entirely .

Having adequate staffing, be able to take breaks and having a management

that respects you would be a good start....

[cnapiza]

Thank You for such great concern for nurses well-being. It's so true that we're always exposed to so many kind of illnesses , and we do have a major impact to our patients lives and even to their families. It's pretty much a state of mind, once we wear that hat, our role changes.Whenever you come to work you always have a goal, which to see a good outcome by the end of your shift, or prepare your patients and have them get ready for the next day with a more positive outlook , if you are working nights like me.But sometimes things will turn out not the way you planned or you expected,like admiting a very sick patient whose having a contageous disease,over demanding family and very needy patient,a very unstable patient who will keep you on your toes, sometimes a very overwhelmed co-worker could add to that,too much work load so little time and even under time pressure. Sometimes you'll finish your shift without drinking,or even going to the bathroom and sometimes not having the resources that you needed, small things like missing medications,patient tech if you need help,poor staffing, etc.. Working long hours , and not having enough rest or lack of sleep could burn us out too.

TEAMWORK is always the key answer in order to get through all these circumstances. With teamwork we could have our work done in a timely manner.Without teamwork sometimes you'd feel like your shift is so long and stressed out . POSITIVITY towards your work, if you think negatively things will come out not the way you wanted them to be most of the time.READINESS for all the things that could happen on your shift,meaning you're well rested,focused. HUMILITY always remember that your working on someone and somebody's loved one, wherein it could be your own.HUMOR- laughter is always the best medicine remember? SMILE and the whole world will smile back at you.....hmmm most of the time .. :)

[ElizabethScala1, BSN, MSN]

Thank you Cnapiza for such great responses. It definitely gives me a lot to process and think about. I am grateful for you taking the time to read this post and post a reply of your own! Keep up the great work and share you positive examples with your team. I love this.

Thanks Jahra for giving us some real life examples of what needs to be improved. Thanks for sharing.

[beckster_01, BSN, RN]

I think the work environment has a huge impact on employee health. The majority of my coworkers are "health nuts," something that I think is very unique in the nursing world. Most of them run/work out regularly, many are very conscious of their diet. A few will run 5k's and 10k's together. Not one of the nurses I work with takes smoking breaks (what they do on their own time I don't know). I am not sure how this environment evolved. I would like to think that it is because we are a cardiovascular unit and that we take our job seriously enough to practice what we preach. It could also have to do with the average age of my coworkers (20-30's). I do know that it tends to make me more health conscious. I have been blessed with a healthy metabolism and tend to abuse it, but working with people who are conscious of their diet makes me think much more carefully about what and how I eat.

[ElizabethScala1, BSN, MSN]

Thanks Beckster for this information. This is awesome to read that your unit is so into health! I am so happy for you and your group. It is a great blessing and inspiration for all your patients to have such wonderful role models. Thanks for sharing this and for taking the time to comment your thoughts and what goes on in your work. I love it!!!