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One suggestion from Weinstein (2015) is forest bathing, trading the concrete walls for Mother Nature. The "ideal walk in the forest," is how the author defines forest bathing. I personally (and as a nurse) choose the Gulf of Mexico via cruising from Galveston, Texas to Cozumel. While a walk with Mother Nature can be rewarding, as Weinstein (2015) states, I do not live near a forest to participate in the literal forest bathing.
image by thesportinmind.com
Abraham Maslow (1943) had a theory of human fundamental needs that he described in a hierarchy, often depicted in a triangular shape, according to learning-theories.com. Maslow's Hiearchy of Needs is often studied in nursing. The highest need after establishing all the basic needs is self-actualization. Weinstein (2015) states that we must listen to our inner calling in order to establish our ultimate peace. Weinstein (2015, p 9) states: "This is the level at which those people who seek to emulate lives of service modeled by Nightingale, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa operate so effectively."
Nurses must find the balance in their life to meet those basic and fundamental needs in order to further advance to the self-actualization level, the highest level of fulfillment. By doing so, we can take care of others better, safer, and happier than when stress is overtaking our lives (Weinstein, 2015).
References
http://www.learning-theories.com/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs.html
Weinstein, S. (2015). B is for Balance. 2nd Ed. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International.
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your blog. This post particularly speaks to me, as you point out the hierarchy of needs which is something that almost all nurses are familiar with. Great job, and keep up the good work!
Julie Van Orne
I agree with you. This post speaks to me as well. Sometimes, even when we are armed with the information, we do not use it for ourselves.
DeleteI agree, we are sometimes our biggest enemies. We need to practice balance more in our lives and be the example of what healthy living means.
DeleteLisa,
DeleteWhat a great topic for a blog. Your presentation really puts into perspective the importance of maintain a good balance. When all parts are attended to then you can really accomplish anything.
-april
Thanks everyone for the affirmation! Nurses are such educated creatures and armed with more than enough information needed to provide excellent patient care and positive outcomes, yet we are (often) the worst patients! We know these things, we studied it, we learned it, we live it every day. But we very often do not take care of ourselves emotionally. While exercising and dieting takes care of our bodies, we often forget to take care of our mind and spirit. It takes all three, (body, mind, and spirit) to live healthy and balanced. While our body may be so physique (complete opposite for me!), sometimes our mind is so out of shape because we have let our day-to-day lives take us over instead of us living our life the way we want to live it. Our routines can make us mundane!
DeleteTake care!
Lisa
Thanks, Julie. As nurses we oftentimes forget to take care of our own. By encouraging nurses that is it OK to take the day off, beyond just the scheduled days off, is something of value that I learned as a Director of Nursing. We get so involved in our nursing that we forget to take care of us. So take the day off!
ReplyDeleteLisa,
DeleteThis is so true. We work ourselves to death! I encourage all my staff to take care of themselves but then I don't heed the same advice.
Great post!
Sue Matson
Suzanne,
DeleteI agree with you! I encourage others to take care of themselves, but I need to do a better job of taking care of myself.
This is a good reminder!
Dawn
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteLee (2013) stated that there are six components to consider when creating a blog: context, audience, purpose, channel, noise, and feedback. Intended messages that participants send to each other should be clear. These messages could be distorted due to participants’ beliefs, feeling, and attitudes. According to Lee (2013), “Evidence-based writing calls for a clear and credible presentation of the writer’s claims and evidence to the target audience” (p. 246). Do you think your presentation was credible and clear? I think it was!
Gunelius (n. d.) stated that the use of brown can evoke feelings of durability. The author stated that it could also be perceived as dirty, and that caution should be taken when using it. Do you think these are the emotions/feelings you are trying to convey? I like that you used some graphics to offset the background color, I think that very much worked well!
Culbertson (2011) stated that an effective blog has content that is compelling and causes the reader to take action in some way. Do you think that your blog will cause the reader to take action? I think so!
I really liked your presentation, content, and style. I got a lot out of it. Thank you.
References
Culbertson, M. (2011). Five ways to critique your blog. Retrieved from http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/five-ways-to-critique-your-blog/
Gunelius, S. (n. d.). The meanings of colors matter in web design. Retrieved from weblogs.about.com/od/blogdesign/tp/How-Color-Psychology-Affects-Blog-Design.htm
Lee, C. (2013). Teaching evidence-based writing using corporate blogs. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 56(3), 242-254. doi:10.1109/TPC.2013.2273117
Sarah,
DeleteThank you so much for your positive feedback. This has been a rewarding experience for me. I was petrified at first when I realized I had to create a blog. It was been exciting since the feedback started coming! I am thankful that this blog has been a positive experience for you and the others who have participated in it. I see a lot of the same characteristics in most of the replies...we work ourselves to death for others without living for ourselves.
Thanks again, Sarah, for the feedback. Good luck with the rest of your MSN courses, your career and your vacations!
Lisa
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI agree that nurses typically put themselves last. I have done this as a mother, a nurse, a friend, a wife, a peer. It may be part of our make-up as women or the caregiver that we must naturally be to become a nurse. This is a good idea to schedule time off! If we wait for the right time it may not come.
Dawn
Did you schedule your time off? My husband takes our kids on Daddy Dates so I can have some time at home by myself. I take our kids on Mommy Dates so he can have some time at home by himself. He is a very busy man working in the oilfield in a supervisory position; he too has a lot of stress and responsibility in his position. While our stressors are very different, it is stress nonetheless. We help keep each other balanced. By the way, our kids love their dates and bonding time.
DeleteGood luck, and take some time to yourself! It will help you be a more relaxed mother, nurse, friend, wife and peer.
Lisa
Lisa,
ReplyDeleteI agree, we as women do not make time for ourselves. Like Lisa said, that is just our make-up. But, the last 6 years, I have made it a point to travel every 6 months, to relieve my stress and take time out for me, because I deserve it.
We all deserve it. We are working hard in school and at full time jobs. I only have 4 more classes to graduation then I will be taking a cruise with my mom and sisters. No kids. Actually my youngest is graduating high school this year and will be in college when this happens, so no problem.
DeleteHello, Ladies. I love that you both have travel plans. It is so important for us to get away. And the cruise: No phones, emails, appointments! How exciting!
DeleteKeep up the travel plans!
Lisa
What a great idea! This is a wonderful blog and much needed! We, as nurses, need reminding to be kind to ourselves, that it is okay to take time, relax, and enjoy the world around us. This is a great blog to keep reminding us of that and that it is okay! We are the worse at not taking time for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to following your blog and relaxing ideas or the sharing of what others are doing to be kind to themselves.
Rebecca,
DeleteI agree with you, this blog could generate a lot ideas on relaxation for nurses. It will be interesting to read these suggestions.
Thanks so much for your encouragement! I had not intended to continue with the blog after this class is over; but I think I will make it my new very badly needed hobby!
DeleteSomeone suggested adding links to outside relaxation and stress-relief ideas. I think I can do that!
Making today my someday!
Lisa
This is a perfect place to go and relax. It is a safe, anonymous "cafe" to say what you want and read how others are feeling. We can heal each other before we go out to heal the world.
ReplyDeleteLinda I agree that this is a great place to come and relax and share stories and suggestions with one another. One way to prevent burnout I think is to personally share what struggles we may be experiencing and see if someone else has experienced the same!
DeleteLinda and Sarah, thanks for the kind words! I am humbled! I hope to keep the blog going after this class. It is important that we hear others stories and sacrifices and tricks that work to help us stay sane...heal us before healing others!
DeleteLisa
At the nurses station today, we were actually discussing where each of us see ourselves on Maslows hierarchy of needs. I found myself at safety since I struggle with my vision. You do not realize how much you depend on your vision until you start to loose it. I recently got back from a cruise and believe me it was greatly needed. As nurses we have to remember to take care of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteSheila, thanks for your personal insight. As nurses, we tend to see other nurses as "I will work with her any day" or "ugh, not her again." While our goal is to help our patients stay or get well again, we often forget that our fellow nurses may need help in more ways than just with nursing care for patients and nursing tasks. Thank you, again, for pointing out your struggle. It has helped me realize that nurses do have struggles that I could help with and be more respectful. I assumed since a nurse is wearing glasses, they have perfect vision because the glasses let them see. It did not dawn on me that the struggle can still be there (I suppose the prescription could be wrong, or the eye sight may have changed!). I will pay more attention to my co-workers needs as well.
DeleteLisa
Work-life balance is so important for all professionals, including nurses. The department I work for actually had a nurse retreat last year. It was a great opportunity for the nurses to spend time with each other outside of work and destress.
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
DeleteI agree that work-life balance is important to nurses because of the stress of our job. I am in the emergency department where we can rejoice at the birth of a baby and cry at the death of a loved one. It is hard to leave the emotions behind at the end of the day. However, a job such as this makes you appreciate your loved ones even more. Down time is so important to maintain a good balance. Make sure you take time to decompress.
-april
I have had my fair share of new employers and it is funny how we can be so excited about the new job and our employer seems excited to have us onboard. Orientations have team-building exercises, activities to get familiar with other new employees, and breaks in the orientation schedule to let us re-energize and get up and walk around, take a potty break, get a refreshment. Yet most employers do not carry that in to the workplace. And as nurses, we do not force them. We clock in, work all day or night, realize with an hour left on shift you haven't eaten lunch (no wonder you are getting grouchy, have no energy left and started watching the clock!)...only snacked on the food the EMS guys brought in (how healthy was that?)...and haven't taken a potty break all day (your poor huge bladder!). I don't know about you, but I don't even call my husband back because I have been "so busy running around taking care of patients" that I haven't take care of myself or given my husband his return call.
DeleteWe have to stop doing that to ourselves! We work to be the best we can for our patients in their time of need, happiness or sorrow. But we forget about ourselves.
Take a break!
Lisa