Are You Sticking to a Self-Care Routine?
After working as both a nurse and nurse practitioner for more than 20 years, LaShanda Brown, PhD, RN, GNP, knows firsthand how stressful nursing can be.
Today, Brown, a research nurse manager at the Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Center for Healthcare Innovations in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, teaches her nursing colleagues and other health professionals the importance of developing a self-care routine for their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
“Having a self-care plan means embracing strategies that improve energy, mental clarity, and confidence and making this a priority in your life,” said Brown, who believes in taking a holistic approach to help nurses integrate self-care into their daily lives.
When she works with nurses to develop a self-care plan, Brown includes the following steps:
- Include Exercise in a Self-Care Routine
- Practice Self-Care Through Healthy Eating
- Develop a Support System
She also said to consider options such as:
- The American Nurses Association offers the Well-Being Initiative, which features tools, apps, and other resources to help support nurses’ mental health and wellness.
- The Compassionate Caravan, a national project, led by holistic nurses, that offers virtual listening circles, workshops, and more.
- The Facebook group, Nurses Anonymous, offers support to nurses who are experiencing increased stress during the pandemic. Request more information via email.
- Meetup.com also offers support and social groups for nurses both online and in person in cities across the United States.
- Responderstrong.org is a free site that offers tips and advice from other first responders and healthcare professionals. The site includes evidence-based tools to support all healthcare workers and help them to find balance, succeed, and thrive.
