As a mom and nurse, I have a lot of information to share about this topic – all from personal experience!
One of the main reasons I decided to become a nurse is because I wanted a better work-life balance for when I started my own family.
In my first post-college career, I worked in the corporate world, working 50+ hours a week. At the time, my job also required that I frequently travel for business meetings – often for up to a week at a time. That is a long time to be away when you have small children!
At the time, I also had a few nurse friends who told me that they appreciated the flexibility nursing allowed them when they decided to start families of their own. Nursing was already a career that I was very interested in because I had the desire to work in a field where I could help others and make a difference in the world. And since starting my own family was something that my husband and I eventually wanted, becoming a nurse began to make a lot more sense.
So nine years ago, I went back to college to earn a BSN. I have since found that being a nurse mom has its challenges. However, I love both jobs, so it is worth it for me.
Here are the pros and cons of being a mother and nurse:
Being a mother and nurse has many perks, but it is not for the faint of heart.
For example, hospitals are open seven days a week, 365 days a year, and they need a lot of nurses to help with patient care. There are day shifts, night shifts, mid shifts, and even 4-hour break relief shifts available to many nurses. The flexibility also allows many moms to go back to school and earn an advanced nursing degree which can help create even more career opportunities.
There are also many times that nurses can work in a day- including 8, 10, and 12-hour shifts. In the hospital setting, most shifts are usually 12 hours. However, you can also work as a nurse in a doctor’s office, where shifts may only be 8 hours a day. And in some hospital specialties, such as the PACU or Cath Lab, nurses often work 10-hour shifts.
A five-day workweek can become three
Unlike most professions, many full-time nurses work three days a week instead of 5 (a benefit of the 12-hour workday). That means nurse moms get to be home at least four days a week to spend solid, uninterrupted, quality time with their families.
And as a bonus, you will be able to run errands during the non-busy hours. For example, I can take my kids with me to go grocery shopping on Tuesday and Friday mornings – and we are usually one of only a few shoppers there! Running errands is so much easier when the roads and stores are less busy. If fact, since I became a nurse, I can hardly stand shopping on the weekends.
There is no travel required (unless you are a travel nurse)
Travel is a lot of fun in the years before you start a family. But once children come along, that overnight business trip doesn’t seem so exciting anymore. In nursing, you have the option to go to the same workplace each time you go to work. Unless you are attending a nursing conference, there is no reason that you would need to travel for your nursing career.
Nurses can work per diem
Did I mention that nursing is flexible? The most significant benefit I have found being a nurse mom is that I have the option of working per diem. Per diem means “by the day.” As a nurse, you have an opportunity to work the days that you want to work and stay home with your children on the days that you don’t.
Here are a few benefits of per diem nursing:
Higher pay than a career nurse
Work as little as one day a week or as many as five days a week (as long as there is a need for an R.N.)
Make your schedule
Cancel your shift the day before if you are needed at home
Add on a shift at the last minute
You can leave your work at work
Nursing does not require that you maintain a home office. In general, nurses do not have to bring work home with them. It is a great feeling to be able to leave your work at work. Best of all, you are not constantly worrying about quotas, reports that you need to turn in, or managing other employees – all of which many moms who work in business or other industries often have to do.
Cons of Having a Nursing Career as a Mom
Nursing is hard work
Don’t get into nursing if you think that it is an easy job. I assure you, it is not. Nursing is the most challenging work that I’ve ever done in my entire life. You will need some recovery time on your days off because nursing can be a very physically and mentally challenging job.
Because the work is so stressful and can often lead to burnout, I always emphasize how important it is that nurses take good care of themselves. Proper nutrition, exercise, yoga, and meditation are a few great ways that nurses can make their health a priority.
Being a mother and nurse at the same time is challenging because both jobs are arguably two of the hardest jobs in the world. Albeit, they also are extremely rewarding as well. So if you are up to facing the challenges that come with being a nurse mom, you can find a lot of joy in being both.
The shifts are long
Since most hospital shifts are 12-13 hours long, you likely won’t see your children at all on the days that you work. Therefore, from the time you get up until the time you go to bed, you will be focused on things entirely outside of your family.
For that reason, I do not work back-to-back shifts because I just don’t want to be away for my children for more than one day at a time (another reason per diem nursing works for me!).
12-hour shifts make for a very long workday. An unfortunate side effect is that you are going to be extra tired on your days off when you are with your kids. But let’s be honest, being at home with your children can be exhausting too!
You may have to work night shifts
Some nurses like to work the night shift. Unfortunately, many nurses, especially nurse moms, do not want to work the night shift. Working graveyards is hard on the body because you are always fighting your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Over time this can cause or exacerbate nurse burnout.
Also, depending on where you work in the hospital, they may have mandatory rotating shifts, meaning that all nurses alternate between night and day shifts. Talk about a confusing schedule!
Motherhood is the hardest job there is. And when you flip your sleep schedule around, it may make it even harder to manage motherhood because you will constantly be fighting with exhaustion.
You will likely have to work some holidays and weekends
Hospitals never sleep, and that includes holidays and weekends. While many people are enjoying a “family day” on a Saturday or Sunday, nurses are often working to take care of patients. Unfortunately, sometimes that can mean missing time with the kids, birthday parties, sporting events, and other special family outings.
There are many trade-offs to being a nurse as a mother. Sometimes you will miss important events, but as an exchange, you can be home during the week on days that everyone else is working.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of factors to consider in the discussion regarding “Is nursing a good career for moms?” And many things depend on your current career and childcare situation.
I hope this information is helpful for you if you are a mom who is interested in becoming a nurse (or want to be a nurse mom eventually!) If you have any questions about the information in this post, please reach out to me in the comment section.
Nursing is always a solid career path for people who have compassion for others and a desire to make a difference in the world. For some, it is a calling, but others get into the field of nursing because it offers a stable and fulfilling career path with lots of interesting opportunities.
This is a fantastic time to begin training as a nurse, simply because the need has never been greater. Not only are people living longer than they used to and requiring more care, but many healthcare organizations are already having staffing issues. This is expanding an exciting opportunity for those interested in travel nursing.
There are many perks to becoming a travel nurse!
What Exactly is a Travel Nurse?
Most nurses work for a specific hospital, school, assisted living facility, or other organization. They are traditionally employed and typically know what to expect regarding the work environment and their colleagues.
On the other hand, travel nurses are temporary staff for hospitals and healthcare facilities all over the country. They take on new assignments every few months (typically in 13-week blocks) and work in hospitals experiencing temporary personnel shortages or a higher-than-expected influx of patients. With shifts occurring in the healthcare industry, the demand is only growing for travel nurses.
Besides traveling around the country and working in different hospitals, travel nurses have the same responsibilities as permanent nurses. They care for patients and take on miscellaneous tasks to help hospitals run. Travel nurses have to adapt to enter a new work environment every few months, but there are several significant perks to being a travel nurse.
One of the best perks of becoming a travel nurse is the pay. Travel nurses generally get new assignments through a nurse contracting firm. This means that they enjoy a great salary from their contracts while also receiving benefits from their contracting firm.
In general, traveling nurses can expect to make around $65,000-90,000 annually, depending on their work and assignment. In addition to this salary, travel nurses might get allowances for temporary housing and living expenses, retirement contributions, health insurance, and even travel reimbursements.
Although travel nursing might not sound as stable as traditional nursing jobs, the truth is that the work is usually plentiful enough for nurses to make a great living on the road. The benefits can be as good or better than those from a permanent post.
Expand Your Personal & Professional Experience
Perks of becoming a travel nurse include: expanding your skills, living in new cities, and learning more money!
Working in one geographic area can provide comfort and stability, but it might not offer you new challenges or the opportunity to expand your skillset and experience. Nurses who don’t have the opportunity to work in a diverse healthcare environment might miss out on fulfilling experiences and the ability to build a more impressive resume.
Travel nurses get the chance to experience different environments and meet people from all walks of life. Not only does this provide professional benefits, but it also helps nurses grow personally. Working in different types of hospitals is a great way to expand your perspective and develop your communication skills and cultural competency.
Looking for a Bit More Freedom? Travel Nursing Could be for You!
Nursing jobs are usually quite stable but can also be rigid when it comes to scheduling and time off. If you’re looking for a little more freedom and flexibility, then travel nursing could be a great solution. Although it would impact your paycheck to pass up a contract, travel nursing gives you the option of taking time off if you need to attend to personal business or just take a long vacation.
You have a lot more control over your schedule and your life as a traveling nurse. You’ll be living in new places and embarking on new adventures every few months, but you also have the freedom to say no to jobs that don’t suit you.
Travel nursing is rarely boring and can be deeply satisfying. If you get “itchy feet” and don’t like the idea of spending the next 40 years working in the same hospital in the same town, why not consider taking your career on the road?
If you dream of adventure and feel called to help others, then travel nursing could be the perfect career path. Right now, hospitals need people who are willing to drop everything, roll up their sleeves, and help patients get well.
There are so many career options for nurses outside of the traditional hospital setting. If nursing is your passion, but doing rounds on the patient floor is not, consider one of these five non-bedside nurse jobs that you may not have heard of before.
#1. Public Health Advisor
Non-bedside nurse job #1: public health nurse
With the current outbreak of COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control is receiving a lot of attention. Many look to organizations like the CDC for guidance on how to stay safe through when a public health crisis strikes.
Nurses make great public health advisors because they already have experience working directly with patients in a variety of healthcare settings. They can take their clinical knowledge and years of direct patient care experience and apply it in the public health arena.
Public health advisors develop and implement public health programs. Also, they build relationships with all levels of government organizations and project management. It is also possible to get involved in politics to initiate change at the national level, like former nurse Congresswoman Lauren Underwood.
Working as a public health advisor can be a fascinating new career for nurses. Who knows, one day we could even have a nurse in the oval office!
Recommended Education Level: The minimum requirement for a public health advisor is a BSN or three years of comparable general experience; however, specialized expertise or completion of higher education programs like an MSN with a concentration in Public Health are preferred. You can find more information on job listings and requirements here.
#2. Clinical Trial Nurse
Non-bedside nurse job #2: clinical trial nurse
Clinical trials are the process by which cures for cancer and other diseases are discovered – and they are at the forefront of the ever-changing field of medicine.
A clinical trial nurse serves as coordinators for clinical trials and implements good clinical practice for the emerging treatment modalities. This job is an excellent fit for nurses who are as passionate about patient rights as they are scientific advancement.
At this very moment, thousands of trials are being conducted worldwide in all fields of medicine. For example, one clinical trial aims to prevent the onset of rheumatoid arthritis – as another clinical trial is testing the efficacy of a swab test to detect neurodegenerative disorders. For the nurse with scrutinizing attention to detail and compassion for helping sick patients, becoming a clinical trial nurse would be an exhilarating position to hold.
Recommended Education Level: A BSN is required for most clinical trial nurse roles. Advanced degrees — such as an MSN — are critical for those who wish to assume a leadership role within clinical trials and research nursing.
#3. Movie-Set Nurse
Non-bedside nurse job #3: movie set nurse
Hollywood magic knows no limits. Car crashes, fight scenes, and defying gravity are just some of the ways actors and showbiz execs can get hurt on the job, and it happens more often than we think. This is why it’s so important to have skilled medical professionals on set at all times. Nurses, paramedics, and doctors are all found on the sidelines of silver screen productions to provide first-aid care and more.
Movie productions must staff large groups of people who work long hours. They often work with heavy machinery, putting them at risk for injury. Often, very risky work is being performed. Some action scenes – think the kind with stunt doubles – can cause accidents.
The medical team on-site needs to be able to act quickly in case of incidents and emergencies — making your ER experience a great asset. The ability to stay calm and focused in the wake of accidents are key strengths many nurses already possess.
Nursing gigs in the film industry are fiercely competitive, so you’ll want to accentuate your ability to act quickly and efficiently if you get a chance to interview. The pay may not be great at first – often as low as $15/hour – but there’s no telling where an opportunity may take you. One nurse even got hired to go on tour with Beyonce!
Recommended Education Level: Minimum requirement of an associate’s degree.
#4. Hotel/Resort Nurse
Non-bedside nurse job #4: hotel/resort nurse
People on vacation rarely foresee a need for medical care. But as health care providers, we know that illness and injury can happen anytime, anywhere. Hotels and resorts employ nurses to be on-site in case guests need first-aid or assistance getting more intensive care at a local hospital.
Resort nurse jobs, like this one at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company, can be pretty sweet gigs (pun intended). Depending on where you find work, you may even be able to spend your days off at the beach or a snowy mountaintop!
Recommended Education Level: Minimum requirement of an associate’s degree.
#5. Legal Nurse Consultant
Non-bedside nurse job #5: legal nurse consultant
Legal nurse consultants (LNC) serve as liaisons between the medical and legal fields in a variety of venues. LNCs can serve as expert witnesses, be employed by law firms that handle medical malpractice or personal injury law, work in forensic environments, and some opt to open their own independent practices.
The American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants has an extensive list of tasks performed by LNCs. These range from medical research to drafting legal documents and helping attorneys prepare for trial. In this riveting career, you’ll get to see the legal side of the medical field and use your nursing expertise in the name of justice.
As an LNC, you can dip your toes in to see how you like the field while building an autonomous career. According to LNC Wendie Howland, any nurse with 8-10 years of experience can serve as an expert witness for an attorney. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn where medical and judiciary interests intersect.
Recommended Education Level: An associate’s degree is the minimum requirement, but for certain positions, particularly in forensics, completing a program of higher education like an MSN with a specialization in Forensic Nursing is recommended.
In conclusion
There are so many non-bedside nurse jobs for experienced RN’s who want to advance their careers out of the bedside. Consider doing a little soul-searching and decide where your nursing career will take you next!
Guest author Pamela Mahler is a content specialist for Aspen University. She is passionate about learning and producing valuable resources that empower others to enhance their lives through education. Aspen University offers CCNE accredited programs at every degree level. Aspen created affordable degrees and 0%-interest payment plans with transparent pricing so that nurses can focus on courses, not the fine print.
There are so many things I wish I knew before I became a nurse.
I remember when I first decided to go to nursing school. I was 31-years-old and struggling with the idea that I had spent nine years working in a career that I didn’t like.
In my former career life, I was a medical device salesperson. I had spent nearly a decade selling medical equipment to hospital operating rooms, traveling up and down the west coast, schmoozing with doctors and hospital purchasing managers so they would buy my stuff.
But even though my heart wasn’t passionate about my professional at the time, I was excited about working hard and performing well. So, each year, I met my professional goals and advanced in the profession. Which, in turn, also made it harder for me to leave.
But then one day, it hit me. I wanted to be an actual medical professional. I remember thinking how bored I was sitting on the sidelines as a device rep, watching procedures, and thinking, “this is SO lame, please shoot me!”
There are so many things I wish I knew before I became a nurse.
So (a few mental breakdowns later) I finally did it.
I signed up for the seven prerequisite science classes that I needed to take before I was even able to apply to nursing school (as a prior journalism major, I hadn’t taken very many science classes at that point).
I took my classes in the evenings after work. And I started studying to take the TEAS. It all took me about a year to complete, and in 2010 I started my journey to become a nurse.
The road has been arduous at times, but I am so glad I went to nursing school when I did. Yet it would have been nice to have a little more insight into what I was getting myself into. Here are eight things I wish I knew before becoming a nurse.
Eight things I wish I knew before becoming a nurse:
#1. Nursing school is crazy hard (and expensive)
Not only will you have daily classes, labs, weekly exams, and intense competition from classmates, but you will also be working hospital shifts as a student nurse. Many nursing programs also advise against outside work during the program because they warm that you won’t be able to keep up with the work. And in California (like many other states), hospitals will no longer hire nurses who don’t have a BSN. As a result, many nurses are graduating from nursing school with 50-100K or more in student loan debt.
#2. You will probably have to work night shifts, at least in the beginning
Nurses are needed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Since many nurses don’t want all night until 7:30 am, seniority is often the deciding factor when it comes to assigning nurses to the day shifts. Some hospital units even have a rule that new nurses must work night shifts for at least the first few years of being there. You will want to invest in a great set of blackout shades, at least one pair of blue blocker sunglasses, and a box of earplugs (so the guy mowing his lawn at 11 am doesn’t wake you up).
#3. Working three days a week as a nurse isn’t as easy as it sounds.
I remember thinking how awesome it would be only to have to work three days a week. I mean, come on, it’s only three days! But that also means that the days you do work are incredibly long. Nursing shifts at the hospital are usually 12 hours long. But they are more like 14-16 hours once you factor in oncoming nurse reports, overtime due to short-staffing, and your commute to and from work.
#4. You will be afraid that you might kill someone.
This one is a real fear because, for example, if a nurse makes a medication error or forgets to check vitals or a patient’s neuro status per order, then you accidentally could kill someone. But as you grow more tenured in your career, you develop a sixth sense for things that might go wrong, and you figure out how to triple check your work in the most time-crunched circumstances. And you learn how to assess your patients quickly enough that if there are any vital sign or neuro status changes, that you can get the help you need before things go downhill.
#5. You will learn to balance more information then you have ever had to before
There is no such thing as multitasking because our brains can’t focus on more than one thing at the same time. But nurses developed the uncanny ability to juggle multiple ongoing tasks for numerous patients for up to 12 hours a day – such as medical orders, patient requests, vital signs, medications, allergies to medicines, lab values, care plans, etc. We forget to eat and pee all day, but we remember the essential medical information we need to know for our patients. Being a nurse stretches your brain further than you ever thought it could go.
#6. Nurse abuse happens
Nurse against nurses is very common. Nurses tolerate levels of abuse that would NEVER be acceptable in any other professional setting. I have been cussed at a few times, in just about every colorful way you could imagine, for just doing my job.
If that’s not bad enough, chronic back pain in the nursing population is a common ailment. An evidenced-based review at the Texas Women’s University reported that estimates of chronic low back pain among nurses range from 50%-80%.
You may not be able to escape some of the wear and tear from being a nurse at the bedside. However, you can pick up healthy habits outside of the hospital like yoga, running, or weightlifting to help recuperate on your days off.
#8. You will find that there are multiple types of job opportunities away from the bedside
One thing that I Iove about being a nurse is that there are so many job opportunities away from the bedside. So even if you decide that beside nursing isn’t for you anymore, there are other nurse occupations to look into. Here are a few examples:
As s a nurse I have been exposed to so many stressful situations. I’ve been cussed at by angry patients (more times then I can count), swung at, kicked, had a full urinal thrown at me, been exposed to, been in the middle of dozens of violent patient situations and take-downs, and been the victim of nurse bullying.
In addition, I see other nurses being treated poorly from patients, family members, doctors and even sometimes other nurses. In fact, it’s not even unusual. And, like other nurses, I am expected to continue giving compassionate patient care without regard to my own well being.
This sacrificial attitude of putting myself last on a very long spectrum of compassionate care is just not going to cut it anymore. The thought of spending an entire career with this amount of wear-and-tear is frightening. Something has to give before I completely fizzle and burn to a crisp.
Nurses need to have compassion for themselves too.
I came out of nursing school with equal parts compassion and adrenaline to save lives and make a positive difference in the world! In fact, I left a very lucrative 10 year medical equipment sales career so I could do just that. I was determined to advocate for and serve my patients to the best of my ability. Compassion was one of my greatest strengths.
As an overachiever for most of my life I have always maintained the attitude that I can do anything as long as I try hard enough. And now, after 7 years as a registered nurse, I am discovering that I am failing at the one thing that actually defines a great nurse: compassion.
The nurse burnout is real.
What I am currently experiencing is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion that is more extreme than anything that I have ever experienced in my adult life. I started my nursing career with the determination to give amazing patient care and here I am, 7 years later, losing my compassion.
(And just so you know – this has been hard for me to acknowledge because I have been a “yes” person my entire life.)
There is beauty in the breakdown.
My nursing burnout amplified after the birth of my first child in 2015. Then, it got even worse after my second child in 2018. In fact, I started writing regularly again out of desperation to find an outlet for the exhaustion and overwhelming fatigue I was feeling as a nurse and new mom. My goal was to find more effective ways to take better care of myself and make my life a little easier. And it actually has helped me find a little reprieve.
But most importantly, it has opened my eyes to the fact that I need to make some huge changes in my life. Most of all, I need to find my compassion again. But this time I am unapologetically focusing my compassion on myself, first.
So, in light of this discovery, I am 100% accepting and honoring these uncomfortable feelings. I am using them as a catalyst to make changes in my professional and personal life. My mental and physical pain will be an opportunity for growth and finding self-compassion.
I rarely take the time to do nothing and reflect. This is a good year for more of that.
I am on a mission for self-compassion.
You know how when you fly in an airplane, there is the safety warning before take-off? Passengers are instructed to put the oxygen mask on themselves first, then help others around them. Because if you pass out from lack of oxygen, you’re not helpful to anyone!
So, here is me putting the oxygen mask on myself first. Some of the changes I am making are professional and some are personal. But they are all things I have been wanting to do for a really long time but haven’t because I was thinking about others’ needs before my own.
Here are my new personal nurse self-care and self-compassion goals:
#1. Work two 12 hour shifts a week instead of three
This one is hard for me because it equates to a significant decrease in pay (and I really like money!). With two toddler age children, child care is our biggest expense (besides housing) and it’s not going away any time soon. But fortunately, we are in a position to afford it for the time being and I want to use the extra day off to spend more one-on-one time with my adorable babies.
In addition, since most hospital shifts are 12 to 13 hours I don’t get to see my children at all on the days that I work. I am also staying away from working back-to-back shifts because I just don’t want to be away from my children for more than one day at a time.
#2. Work fewer holidays and as few weekends as possible
After I had children I really hated having to work on holidays. I have missed so many birthdays, Easters, 4th of Julys, Thanksgivings, Christmas and New Years to be working at the hospital. At some point, I started to resent missing that time with my family. Working on holidays is the norm for many nurses, and I expect to work some. But since I will be working a little less anyway this will also equate to working fewer holidays as well. The same goes for weekends.
Self Care for nurses is more important now than ever.
#3. Continue working per diem
There are a lot of benefits and drawbacks to being a per diem nurse. For example, I love that I can schedule myself to work on the exact days I WANT to work. However, it also means that if I am not needed then I get canceled at 0400 and then I don’t make any money for that day. And since I end up paying for a nanny regardless, that’s a double whammy.
The best part of being a per diem nurse is that it offers me a much better work-life balance. When I worked as a career nurse it was almost impossible for me to secure childcare because my work schedule was always changing. Some weeks I got the schedule I needed and others I didn’t. So on the whole, being a per diem nurse is the right choice for me and my family.
#4. Continue writing and growing my website to help other nurse moms
In 2016 I became a nurse blogger. My venture was born out of my frustration with burnout as a registered nurse and my desire to create a more flexible work-life balance. Writing about nurse lifestyle topics that interest me and exploring ways that nurses can take better care of themselves helps me to take care of myself better too.
My little blog is even starting to make a small monthly income, which absolutely thrills me. I have a dream that if I keep working hard my website will make enough money that I can work one day a week instead of two.
#5. Take a comprehensive course in website management and blogging
Last week I signed up for a comprehensive blogging course that will probably take me the next 6-8 months to complete. I honestly haven’t been more excited to do something for myself like this in a really long time. In fact, I can’t wait to see my progress over the next year!
#6. Explore other medical-related career options
A few weeks ago I interviewed for an aesthetic sales position. Although I didn’t end up working for the company, it did open my eyes to the fact that there are so many other great opportunities that I could be interested in and also fit my skill set as a nurse. A nursing practice can take many forms and I am giving myself permission to continue learning about other nursing career options.
#7. Focus more energy into my family and friends
One of my New Years resolutions this year was to “choose fun.” So many studies have shown that spending quality time with family and friends is incredibly helpful in decreasing stress and improving burnout symptoms. Since I will be working a little less I will have more time to focus my energy on the people who matter most to me.
#8. Enjoy my new fancy gym membership (with childcare on site!)
In the spirit of investing more in myself, I started 2019 off with a gym membership. It has been a complete game-changer for me. In fact, the old me would never have never splurged on a fancy gym membership. Making regular time to work out always makes me feel great, clears my head and gives me more stamina. And my 1 year old loves the Kid’s Club, so it’s a win-win.
As a nurse and mom, my life basically revolves around caring for everyone else, and I am SO GRATEFUL to be able to do that. But if there is one thing I have learned through my own compassion fatigue it is that I need to put the same care into myself as I do into my patients and family. So in the spirit of self-compassion, I am metaphorically putting on my oxygen mask first, before helping those around me.
#9. Practice more yoga
I have been regularly practicing yoga for 14 years. Finally, in 2o15 I completed Yoga Works’ 4 month Urban Zen Integrative Therapy program for medical professionals. I learned how to teach simple yoga, do guided meditation and perform Reiki. It was amazing!
However, in recent years I have not been practicing as much as I would like, and that is going to change. My goal is to incorporate yoga into my busy schedule every single day. Even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Yoga helps me stay balanced in times of great stress, gives me flexibility (both physically and mentally) and has been extremely grounding. In fact, I recently started teaching my 3-year-old daughter a series of yoga poses and it is bringing us both great joy!
These two are already happy about self-care goal #1: Work two 12 hour shifts a week instead of three. Job flexibility has never been so important to me.
In conclusion
Nurse self-care matters. If we don’t care for ourselves then how can we expect patients to listen to our health advice and education? I am taking this opportunity to give myself compassion and hopefully lead others by example.
If other nurses find themselves feeling as unappreciated and burnt out as me I encourage them to find ways to care for themselves first. Otherwise, we are perpetuating a broken system that does not acknowledge that nursing burnout is a real issue and ignoring nurse health and well being.
So nurse, what are you going to do to take care of yourself today? Leave a comment!
