What can nurses do to cope with stress?

Posted: November 24, 2021

Stress is an inevitable portion of life that everyone feels in some part of their lives, now more than ever. It is the reaction of the body to physical, mental, or psychological trauma. 

Chemical changes in the body caused by stress can cause blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels to rise. Frustration, worry, rage, and despair are all possible outcomes. 

Nurses, who can be classified as one of the superheroes of the medical field worldwide. Especially in such trying times. We must protect them and their mental health at all costs where the workload can become so overwhelming.

 That’s where we come in to provide you with some tips you need to cope with stress.

 

 

Remember to take a break: There is huge importance in taking breaks where possible. Excessively working on a task can cause anyone to feel burnt out. Time away increases cognitive functioning while also allowing employees to recharge their minds. 

Work might restart with increased enthusiasm and motivation. However, the first critical thing a nurse must take into consideration is that she is stressed out, and it’s perfectly normal to just try to seek help. 

 

This can be heavily based on long hours and having to cater to an extensive amount of patients 

 

 Find things you love: Medical field is a very demanding line of work and it’s not hard to lose track of finding time for yourself. Everyone has something that they enjoy doing outside of their work hours, Whether it’s reading, watching a movie, or socializing with those they care about. If you are a lover of music and it tends to have a calming effect on you, trying to integrate the playlist of your favorite songs would be a great addition to your day.

 

 Take Time to Have a Social Life: A nurse’s shift can tend to be super demanding and after a long day they must unwind and it’s possible to lose track of what you like outside of your job. It’s important to “step away” from your job on your days off. 

Spending quality time with family can be a good way to reduce stress. Consider what you can do to make yourself feel joyful or successful, and include those activities into the self-care regimen that makes the most sense for you. 

 

Communicate Concisely and Clearly: As a nurse, you have to understand it’s okay to say ‘No’ when supervisors try to delegate additional shifts. Consider how additional obligations will affect your life, both positively and adversely, before taking on any new tasks. 

Saying no may also imply saying yes to yourself or the things you wish to accomplish.

 

 Eat Right: One would think that as a healthcare professional you wouldn’t have to reiterate that they must practice healthy eating. Just because an individual is in the medical field means that they’re going to take care of themselves the way they know they should. With the overwhelming demands from a nurse’s shift.

it isn’t so hard for them to forget that they need to eat properly. Especially with such demanding schedules snacking has become a heavy part of their day, replacing them with nuts and fruits could be a great substitute.

 

 

This is not going to be a simple procedure, but it may be done modestly by reducing your intake of highly processed meals, which are foods that have been altered from their original food source and have several additional additives. 

Increasing the amount of water you drink in your diet while attempting to minimize your consumption of energy drinks, fruit drinks, soft drinks, and flavored coffees that are high in sugar and have little to no nutritional benefit would be a great recommendation to adopt.

 

 Finally, eat smaller meals more frequently, at least three meals and snacks each day are recommended. You will end up having poor eating choices if you wait too long to eat. A healthy stomach equals A Healthy Mind.

 

Long Deep Breaths: Our body usually gives us subtle indications that we are feeling overworked, it’s up to you to decide on developing a coping strategy that you believe works for you. 

The job can be overwhelming and there are some moments where you aren’t able to take an extended break. You could try counting to 10 until you feel better or stress can be mitigated by taking long deep breaths. It directs your brain to calm down which will affect relaxation.

Sleeping is the key: Being sleep-deprived can be strenuous on the body. Sleep is a crucial aspect of self-care because your body needs time to recuperate from stressful situations. Recognize that you may learn to regulate stress by changing how you react to stressful situations.

 

 

Journal Your Way to Stress Relief: A great tactic to consider is keeping a journal, writing down one’s feelings can be therapeutic and can be a great form of destressing.

 Journaling aids in the management of symptoms and the improvement of temperament by assisting you in prioritizing issues and worries, as well as documenting any symptoms daily so that you may identify triggers and learn how to better control them. It also allows for positive self-talk and the identification of negative ideas and actions. 

When you’re dealing with an issue and are feeling worried, maintaining a diary might help you figure out what’s causing your worry. After you’ve recognized your stressors, you may devise a strategy for resolving the issues and lowering your stress levels. The choice is solely yours whether a physical book would be best suited for you or choose to keep an app on your phone.

 

 

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