Writted by Leah Weisberg, RN BScN BC-NC, Nurse Psychotherapist & Coach
The world has changed. We now stay home more, we barely go shopping, and we have dinner parties over ZOOM.
But nurses on the front line aren’t experiencing anything new.
Nurses across Canada devote their career to caring for the ill. They work in hospitals, clinics, home-care settings and in public health offices. Nurses interface with almost every area of healthcare.
Through COVID nurses continue to share their expertise, provide care to those with the virus, and advocating for appropriate public health measures.
But who cares for the nurse?
Holistic nursing is about empowering nurses to engage in self-care. Not only does it help them and their families, but it enables them to best care for their patients. A nurse with a clear mind, a healthy body and a heart to give will be able to more easily provide care for those in need.
But what should nurses do for themselves?
Get back to the basics:
- Eat three nutritious meals a day including fruits and vegetables.
- Get a minimum 15 minutes of exercise every day.
- Spend some time in nature every week.
- Connect with your loved ones and friends.
- Engage in meaningful activity.
- And breathe….in for 4…our for 4…
Yes, these are times are hard for everyone. And they are even harder for nurses who already started with limited internal resources.
But do it for us, do it for the patients, do it for your families.
Self-Care – a pivotal value for the holistic nurse.