How Nurses Relieve Stress at Work
Nurses have been known to have the toughest jobs. They undergo a lot of stress. They’re constantly being on their feet to the emotional burden of caring for the sick and dying. There’s no denying that nursing can be a tough profession. Nurse stress is a very real thing, we’re sure you can relate. Regardless of how much you love your work, stress can have a significant impact on your health and well being.
We all know that a day in the life of a nurse can be super stressful.
Life’s most impactful and emotional experiences are part of the job—but that doesn’t mean they don’t affect you. In addition, clinics, hospitals, and other health institutions around the country are overcrowded and understaffed, which can lead to nurse stress and burnout.
Due to the stressful nature of the nursing work, facing inappropriate communication in the workplace, stressful work environment, and lack of sufficient competency of self or coworkers in performing some tasks, nurses feel stressed out at their work on a daily basis.
In fact, because of the nature of the work, the nurses continually face with patients who are physically and sometimes mentally in critical conditions while there is little match between the workload assigned to the nurses and the caring that has to be provided for the patients. Due to the shortage of workforce, the nurses are required to take on the heavy workload and go through huge pressure of job responsibilities besides personal obligations.
On the other hand, the provision of complete, quality, and safe health services, including nursing care necessarily requires sufficient qualifications of the individual members of the nursing team and reliable equipment and facilities, the nurses, thus, experience concerns, pressures, fears of incapable coworkers, and equipment failure and shortages. In addition, during the working communication, which occurs between them and the doctors, the nurses often feel somehow stressed out, which is essentially brought about by the inappropriateness of such communication.
Below are tips on how to relieve stress.
Activities to Minimize Nursing Stress
- Exercise regularly
Exercising has long been proven to reduce stress. But for nurses who are on their feet for 12 hours a day, going for a run after work may not sound very appealing.
One of the best exercises for stress-relief is yoga. Yoga has been proven to improve cardio and circulatory health, manage weight and boost energy levels. A quick daily routine can help you focus yourself and blow off steam accumulated from a long workweek.
- Engage in meditation
The best part of meditation is that it can be done at work or at home. If you’re having a stressful day at work, find a quiet place and take five minutes to close your eyes and clear your mind. You may find that some of your stress ebbs away, allowing you to continue your day with a little more energy.
- Do an activity you love
It’s easy to put aside things you love doing in favor of sitting on the couch after a hard day’s work. However, making time for an activity you enjoy, whether it be gardening, painting, reading or playing a sport, can reduce stress.
- Take a mental health day
If you’re really feeling the stress, in some cases the best move is to simply take a day off. It may feel a little strange to take time off if you’re not sick and don’t have a vacation planned, but the occasional recharge day can go a long way.
Taking a day off can clear your mind and help you refocus.
- Spend time with friends and family
Whether your friends are fellow nurses or not, carving out time to hang out with those you love can help brighten your mood. Spending time with family and friends reduces risk of depression and high blood pressure.
Find time to schedule even a quick coffee break with a close friend who will listen to you and sympathize with you.
- Try essential oil therapy
Aromatherapy comes in many forms such as oils, candles and bath salts. With a wide range of scents, each with its own “healing” properties, aromatherapy is an accessible and fairly inexpensive remedy.
If you do plan to utilize aromatherapy or other strong scents in the workplace, be sure to clear it with your employer—some may have allergies or sensitivities to these scents.
- Eat healthy
While this is not an overnight solution, changing your diet to incorporate healthier foods can have a long-term impact on your overall mood and energy levels. Diets rich in processed foods and high in refined sugars are linked to an increase in mood disorders such as depression.
Don’t have time to spend meal prepping or sit down for a proper lunch? Try stocking up on mood-boosting foods such as bananas, dark chocolate, unsalted almonds or unbuttered popcorn. As the saying goes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so starting off with a healthy meal can help when you find yourself pressed for time on your lunch break.
- Get more sleep
Whether you work the night shift or push through 12-hour shifts, chances are you are not getting the recommended amount of sleep. With a job as physically taxing as nursing, it is important to let your body rest in between shifts. Research suggests sleep deprivation is linked to a lowered immune system, increased risk of obesity and heart disease.
The benefits outweigh anything else: Getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night will help you feel energized and refreshed. Try blocking out that much time each night to get a solid night’s rest. If you work at night, try black-out shades for day sleeping. Melatonin can also help you adjust your sleep cycle.
- Learn breathing exercises
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or overstressed at work and don’t know what to do, breathing exercises may help. Quick and easy to do, learning how to control your breathing and center yourself may be the key to getting you through your day.
- Retreat to a peaceful place
Taking breaks is extremely important for stressed out and overworked nurses. Trust your instincts. If you feel so tense you can’t take it anymore, ask to get outside to whatever rejuvenation station is available. It is even better if these breaks can take place in peaceful surroundings. Some hospitals have created special spots where their staff and travel nurses can retreat, such as outdoor garden areas or quiet rooms with calming artwork and peaceful background music.
Nursing stress can happen to anyone in this field. Do what you can to recognize when you’re overwhelmed and try your hand at a few of these relaxing remedies. Returning to work with a clear, refreshed mind will not only benefit you, but also your patients.
Clearly nursing can be a stressful job, but there are plenty of good reasons to stick it out through the tough days. Check out nursinghomeworks.com for more tips.
