Nursing Stress: Flush Out Exactly What You Want!

One of the most powerful tools I use to combat the stress of nursing or the stress of life is to write a letter to God. This is NOT a thank you letter to God. This is not a sweet letter stating how I know God is taking care of me. This is actually the opposite. This is questioning what the heck God is doing! This is hashing out the problem with God. This is an emotional plea about what to do next. And this is a very power tool!

The God letter is a very powerful tool because it leads me to flush out exactly what I need help with. Once I see the areas that I need help in, I can ask God to PROVIDE me with the help I need.

If I'm struggling with stress at work, I'll make requests such as:
I am peaceful at work.
I am calm at work.
I am focused at work.
I separate myself from stress at work.
I practice good self care at work.
I have all the resources I need to take care of my patients at work.
I leave work on time.
I have all the skills I need to take good care of my patients.
I have all the help I need at work to take care of my patient.
I have a highly qualified support team always available to help me take care of my patients.

I don't know about you but those are just some of the things that I worry about and that cause me stress in nursing. The thought of having to do it all alone is terrifying. The thought that I won't have enough help to take good care of my patients is frustrating. The thought that I may be able to "do it all" but it will cost me some overtime is infuriating. The thought that I get to go home (late) and wake up early and do it all over again is sometimes just too much to handle.

All those fearful thoughts can lead to depression and anxiety. It's living in the future and the future is not good. It's living in the future and I'm all alone. It's living in the future and there's just not enough of anything. Not a good thinking pattern to get into.

But when I take those specific fears and ask for God (or the universe, or Higher Power, or whoever) to provide for me, I instantly feel a sense of relief. That somehow, some way I'm NOT alone and that there is enough for me. And furthermore, figuring out how God is going to fix the problem or how he's going to provide what I'm asking for is NONE of my business. I don't have to know how he's gonna do it all. I just have to ask. Remembering to put my requests in the present tense (as if they have already happened) is key. It's a powerful form of prayer and it changes things.

In fact the situation may not change right away, but somehow, some way I change. I start relying on infinite God rather than my finite self. I'm not alone and I don't have to make everything happen on my own. I have a provider and a protector. It's all gonna be okay. The nursing stress eases up a little and that's the whole point.

Here's some examples of how God has provided for me recently:
**For months, my schedule requests have all been honored.
**The E.T. nurse showed up at just the right time to do a major dressing change for me.
**Some very difficult supplies (only used in the ICU) were made available to my VIP med/surg patient and brought to his bedside by the ICU nurse educator.
**I got a 4.7% pay raise (annual review).
**I had a bright student nurse intern for several weeks who lightened my workload.
**I haven't missed a break in months.
**Overtime, if any, is minimal (a few minutes, as opposed to hours).
**The pharmacy is my buddy. It recently took less than 3 minutes to receive the med I was requesting.

Are they all coincidences? I choose not to believe so AND my stress level has gone down incredibly because of my belief...and that's the whole point. The mere act of asking for help from an infinite source of supply has filled me with hope. And as far as I'm concerned, the internal and the external results speak for themselves.

Can you imagine if all nurses starting asking for help from their spiritual supplier? The patients would benefit. The nurses would benefit. Everybody wins!

I learned how to ask here.

God bless,
Theresa

Compounded Solutions to Nursing Stress

Remember Nurses: The effects of nursing stress, compounded over time, can kill you! Applying the solutions to nursing stress, compounded over time, can save your life!

To learn more about applying YOUR OWN ANSWERS for nursing stress to your daily life, read the book, "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson. Then you'll understand the importance of your choice to break negative cycles in your life or not to!

Questions: Do you have any negative cycles in your life that you'd like to break? What's your plan?

Take Care Of Yourselves Nurses!
Theresa Waller, RN
(714) 293-5398
Call Anytime!

Using The "Power of Now" To Center Yourself

Do you have an activity or practice that is especially effective at helping to "center" youself? This can be something like yoga or walking or biking? Or perhaps it is a particular type of meditation. Just sitting in your church or place of worship (alone) can be quite powerful and centering.

The reason an activity that centers you is so important and so useful is that it helps you slow your mind down long enough to enjoy the "Power of Now"...the present moment.

When I think of the power of now, I think of it as a "coping" tool, a really powerful coping tool. I think of the power of now as a spiritual tool almost. As a tool to use hand-in-hand with gratitude...As a concept to remind myself to slow down long enough to quiet my mind and just appreciate and experience the present moment.

To be in a place where you are NOT projecting into the future is a very powerful mental place to be in. The goal of the centering activity is to simplify your focus down to what you're doing/experiencing/being at that very moment (the here and now). In a sense it is taking time to realize that at that very moment, all your needs are being taken care of...at that moment you are safe...at that moment you are at peace. By taking the time to do this, you are affirming peace and safety into your life.

That's one of the reasons I love hiking so much. When I'm hiking up a challenging hill, my mind really slows down and the only thing I'm thinking about is my next step. In fact, I'm not really thinking. I'm in the NOW.

I would describe it to you by saying, "That hill really got my attention." (It got my complete attention). As I hike up challenging hills, I usually say a positive affirmation as kind of a mantra...Something really, really simple like, "I am surrounded by love." or "All is well." I'll say it over and over like a mantra because the hiking allows me to block out everything else.

Obviously as a nurse, it is part of your job to project into the future for your patients and to anticipate certain outcomes if you see a particular TREND starting. But that's while you're at work. It's because you are required to do so much of that at work that centering yourself and concentrating positively on the present moment (in your own life) is sooooo important. When you're off duty...you're off duty. It's your time and you have choices as to how you will spend it.

The power of now is a wonderful tool. It is possible to get VERY proficient at using this tool to really slow the mind down and concentrate on what is right in your life. Being in the moment in a concentrated/focused state of positive thought is an effective way to use the power of now.

Question: Do you use the power of "Now" to focus on what is right in your life? Post your answer as a "Comment" below.

Take care of yourselves Nurses!
Theresa Waller, RN
714 293 5398
Call Anytime!

Affirmations To Empower Nurses

The value of keeping to a routine during your workdays cannot be underestimated! Hopefully, if you're a new grad nurse, your preceptor has emphasized this to you. If you're a more experienced nurse, you already know that routine is vital to your productivity as a nurse.

However, way before my workday begins, I utilize the power of routine. Part of my morning routine on workdays includes affirming an empowering mindset and taking a moment to connect with my spiritual source.

Meditating On These Affirmations:

I take a moment and meditate on these affirmations (by Louise L. Hay) prior to leaving for work: (in no particular order)

*I have the strength to remain calm in the face of change.
*I move through life knowing that I am safe - Divinely protected and guided.
*I am a clear thinker and I express myself with ease.
*I now do work I love, and I am well paid for it.
*My heart is the center of my power. I follow my heart.
*I release all resistance to money, and I now allow it to flow joyously into my life.
*I have a wonderful relationship with my friends, family members and co-workers. I am appreciated.
*I get the help I need, when I need it, from various sources. My support system is strong and loving.
*It is safe for me to speak up for myself.
*I am a radiant being, enjoying life to the fullest.
*I choose healthy stimulation. During breaks at work, I speak positively with others and listen with compassion.
*I handle authority with ease, and I am always respected in return.
*When I encounter problems on the job, I am willing to ask for help.
*My happy thoughts help create my healthy body.
*I am surrounded by love. All is well.
*Everyone I encounter at work today has my best interests at heart.
*I am grateful for my healthy body. I love life.
*Life supports me in every possible way.
*I let go of all negativity that rests in my body and mind.
*I love myself exactly as I am. I no longer wait to be perfect in order to love myself.
*I am a magnet for money. Prosperity of every kind is drawn to me.

Because nurses are in such high stress environments, morale can get low. Setting your mindset to cooperate with the abundance of the universe is a helpful habit that can help nurses cope. Even though there are times when I don't fully believe the affirmation, I try it on anyway...just like trying on a beautiful dress...and sometimes I'm so surprised at how it makes me feel that I leave it on the whole day! (In many cases it's much better than what I had planned to "wear" in the first place.)

Questions: Do you use affirmations in your life? Post your answer as a "Comment" below.

Take Care Of Yourselves Nurses!
Theresa Waller, RN
714 293 5398 Call Anytime

Let Your Creativity Serve You While You Serve Others!

Expressing your creativity is a surefire way to relieve stress.

Have you asked yourself lately, "How am I expressing my creative self?" Do you have people in your life that are encouraging and supporting your creativity? Have you actually made the connection that using your creative side is an excellent way to battle nursing stress?

For me, adding Creativity to my "How to cope with nursing stress" toolbox has been a very effective weapon.

One of the things you can do to express yourself creatively is blogging. If you love to write and it feels therapeutic to you to get your thoughts out, then you should try it. Ultimately, one of your goals in expressing yourself creatively is to attract like-minded people who "get you" and who value creativity in their lives too!

However, writing is not the only form of creative expression. Of course, there are all the art forms including dancing and singing which are fantastic forms of creativity. There is the whole idea of expressing yourself creatively through your clothing style or with your home decor. Of course, personal style and home decor are ways of communicating your creativity to the world that are quite fulfilling (but sometimes a little expensive)!

Unfortunately, nurses are in danger of shutting off their creative sides because they so often find themselves in survival mode.

If you are a nurse on nights, you probably work three in a row. How creative can you be when you're either working or sleeping for 72 hours straight? If you're on days, you may not be working three in a row but the days in between shifts are filled with hours of "just jelling" in that recovery shutdown state where you're really not doing much of anything. That's not great for creativity either!

One of the gadgets you can use to enhance your creativity is a voice recorder. These can be purchased at any office supply store and are smaller than a cell phone. They're pretty inexpensive and are simple to use.

As I said, I love to write. However, I'm not always able to hop on the computer or jot things down so I have ideas swirling around in my mind. So I simply record them on my handheld recorder. That way I record the thoughts and can act on them at some other time. PRESTO! My creativity is PRESERVED!

Most nurses are born nurturers. Nurturers like to create and grow things. Nurses are not only creative, they usually have great people skills, they're independent, they're smart and they're perceptive.

I find it extremely fulfilling to express myself creatively. All the while, I am truly taking steps to relieve myself of harmful stress and reach for freedom in my life.

In other words, when I'm at work caring for my patients, my creativity is hard at work for me even if it's just to keep me in touch with my dreams. I highly recommend pursuing ANY creative hobby, project or business as a way of taking back control in your life and honoring your creative side.

I support all nurses who have a creative side longing to be expressed!

Question: How do you preserve YOUR creativity? Post your answer as a "Comment" below.

Take Care Of Yourselves Nurses,
Theresa Waller, RN
(714) 293 5398
Call Anytime!

One Of Those Patients...

Have you ever had one of those patients that you just couldn't help falling in love with?

Some Patients Capture Your Heart More Than Others

Perhaps it is the tragedy of their diagnosis...so young, so grim a prognosis. Or perhaps it is how their disease is manifesting itself by resulting in more and more hospital admissions, more and more tests, procedures and surgeries and more and more pain each time. Or perhaps it is their attitude throughout it all...they never lose their sense of humor. They always make the staff laugh and you find yourself genuinely feeling that taking care of them is a labor of love, not a chore.

Even Though They Are A "Total Care"...

They are what we nurses consider to be a "total care patient" due to the amount of care they require (weak, non-ambulatory, high risk for skin breakdown). But although they are one of the highest acuity patients on the floor, somehow you don't see it that way.

They are the kind of patient that you catch yourself thinking about often on your days off and they are the first patient you inquire about when you return to work. Their pain and suffering is inconceivable yet they are not ready to give up, not ready for hospice.

They've got diversions for bowel (colostomy) and bladder (ileoconduit) and fistulas (radiology drains). The amount of IV and oral pain medication they're on would normally kill a horse but it leaves them with just barely adequate pain control. You are not surprised to see that their latest PCA order includes quadruple strength Dilaudid with a strong basal rate. They are literally prescribed such massive amounts of pain pills (Oxycontin, Methadone, Neurontin) that they they can no longer keep up with them, sometimes having to refuse doses. Yet they remember you by name and give a big smile when you greet them in the morning.

It Makes No Sense

I recently took care of one of my favorite patients. It had been a heartbreaking day. I think for the first time, the full gravity of her condition was very evident to the patient, myself and my nurse assistant. There weren't as many jokes that day. None of us talked about the reality of her situation but it seems things have truly taken a turn for the worse.

Later that night, a noise woke me up out of a deep sleep. I immediately started thinking about her and the tears started flowing. So sad. Makes no sense. Why her? Why anyone? Poor, poor lady. God bless her. I became overwhelmingly grateful for that present moment and thanked (my) God for all the blessings in my life. It took a while to get back to sleep.

Compassion Is A Gift

The experts talk about compassion fatigue and burnout but you see it differently. You see it as having been given the gift of TRUE compassion for another human being, while at the same time having been given extremely stressful circumstances in which to experience it. Not enough resources, not enough certified staff, too many orders to process and too many stat tasks all combining and colliding at the same time with your love for humanity and your true desire to help and heal others. This is why nursing stress is so unique.

Nurses are gifted but they must fortify themselves emotionally, spiritually, physically and nutritionally. It is simply imperative that nurses take care of themselves because there will always be special patients counting on them!

Question: What is it about some patients that makes them so special? Post your answer as a "Comment" below.

Take Care of Yourself Nurses!
Theresa Waller, RN
714 293 5398

Ultimately, Fighting Stress Is Up To Us!

Have you ever questioned whether or not your employer really cares?

Recently, on my floor we learned of heartbreaking news. They announced that an RN had died. The circumstances surrounding her passing remain a mystery.

Beepers and Cell Phones at a Memorial?

Although the Department Director provided a "Tea Time for the Soul" ceremony for the day shift staff, it was scheduled during our working hours. On my med/surg floor, we carry cell phones and pagers so we can be located at all times due to the large size of our floor (three nurses stations, hundreds of feet apart). In other words, because the ceremony was taking place during our shift, we all had our beepers and cell phones on.

Many of us begrudgingly carved out some time to attend the ceremony. Once there, we noted there was calming music playing. Refreshments had been provided. There were two chaplains in attendance. The chaplains were initiating a discussion with the staff. The stage was set for a potentially very healing atmosphere.

I have to admit that for a brief moment, I got lulled into a sense of serenity. However, approximately three minutes into it, I got beeped and had to leave to go urgently medicate someone. I never did make it back due to other pages and phone calls and urgent issues.

Have you ever felt foolish for trusting that management really cared about you? I remember thinking, "This isn't right. I just sat down."

Nursing Stress: "The Elephant in the Living Room"

Thoughtfully, the chaplains had provided some brochures. One brochure was entitled "Compassion Fatigue" and the other was called "What Grieving Does to the Body." There was also a "Mood Card" which allowed the attendees to check their stress level. According to the card, the colder the hand, the more tense and stressful the person was.

These handouts were much appreciated. However, the topics they addressed, although fantastically appropriate for the nursing staff, seemed to represent "The elephant in the living room." There it was in black and white. The brochures were talking about nursing stress. But no one said a word. We all sat silent as our pagers and phones went off one by one.

All A Big Tease

Have you ever caught yourself wondering if the management at your facility does things just for show? Because none of us got to really take any of it in, it was as if the chaplain, the kind words, the pertinent brochures and the refreshments were all a BIG TEASE. After all, the ceremony was taking place during our very busy work day! How could we really acknowledge the loss of our co-worker, when taking the time to attend her memorial was seen as a burden that was pulling us off schedule?

My co-worker said something very profound. She said, "It would have been nice if we actually got a chance to participate in the memorial ceremony. It would have been better if they would have scheduled it after our shift was over. I know many of us would have gladly stayed after we were "clocked out" just to pay our respects and de-stress together. What a shame, all that effort for nothing."

Arm Yourself Against Stress

Today, Nurses work under extremely stressful conditions. It would be wise to come to the conclusion that it is up to YOU to take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, and nutritionally. It is my passion to encourage nurses to take care of themselves and fight back against their daily work stress.

As nurses, we must not assume that management has our best interests at heart all the time. We must make choices that are going to benefit us. We must be ever vigilant against stress, compassion fatigue, burnout and grief. Ultimately, our well being is our responsibility!

Question: Why do you think nurses "burn out"? Post your answer as a "Comment" at the bottom of this post!

Take care of yourselves Nurses!
Theresa Waller, RN
714 293 5398 Call anytime

Getting Creative to Relieve Nurse Stress

Do you remember learning about the aging process in 3rd or 4th semester of nursing school? Little did you know when you took your geriatric nursing courses in nursing school that so many of your patients were actually going to be so old. It goes without saying but the higher the age, the higher the acuity!

How about the number of diabetic patients these days? It seems that routinely 3 out of 5 patients require accuchecks and insulin coverage. In many cases, the nurse assistant is not certified to do accuchecks so the responsibility falls on the nurse.

Have you ever experienced being told that you were going to get a new patient and one minute later the phone rings and it's someone wanting to give you report...and you're thinking, "But I just discharged my other patient less than five minutes ago...I haven't finished my charting...I'm not ready for another patient yet!"

Limited Choices Increase Nurse Stress

These examples fall under the category of what I like to refer to as "Lack of Choice Increases Nurse Stress." Going back to the geriatric nursing courses we all took. Do you remember learning the concept that it is a MYTH to think that getting older is less stressful? The idea that as you get older, you enter the "golden years" and life is grand is a MYTH. In fact, in many cases getting older begins to limit our freedoms and our choices. In many cases getting older is a more stressful time because your choices become more narrow!

Whenever choices are limited or taken away, the stress level will increase. Therefore, when a nurse has no choice as to the age, diagnosis, diabetic status, isolation status or timing of her patients, her stress can increase. There are many other circumstances that the nurse can't control during her work day and this can increase her stress also. If she does choose to not accept a certain patient, then she may feel that she is burdening one of her co-workers who will have to take the patient instead. It sometimes feels like a lose/lose situation.

Taking Care of Yourself is Not Optional!

That is why it is absolutely imperative that nurses take care of themselves. Get good nutrition. Get rest! Lay off the sugar. Feed your soul. Speak up!!! Get creative and think of solutions on your floor that will benefit you and your co-workers.

My co-worker and I organized a potluck at my house in January. We called it, "Nurturing the Nurses." Even though we sent out flyers way ahead of time, the turn out wasn't that high. Do nurses put themselves last on the list? Anyway, the nurses who did show up had a great time! We spent time talking and relating with each other in a completely stress-free (non-hospital) environment. We told NON-nursing stories of our lives and had lots of laughs. Holding a potluck in your home is a great way to relieve stress!

Question: Do you believe that the less choices you have in life, the higher your stress level? Please post an answer by hitting "Comments" at the bottom of this blog post and type away!

Wishing you good health,
Theresa Waller, RN
714 293 5398
rnstresssolutions@gmail.com
Take Care of Yourself Nurses!