Welcome to this blog, where we will explore many of the ways you can learn how to manage your stress. Although this information is published with nursing students in mind (I am an aspiring nurse educator), anyone will be able to benefit and hopefully learn something new.
Everyone would agree that life is stressful, right? Of course. We encounter stress each and every day. Stressors might be good, bad, or both. Yet our bodies do not differentiate between the two. Chronic stress is what really takes a toll on us. It might be easy to say to ourselves "Just deal with it." But how? Why does one person seem to breeze through life, seemingly unaffected by all the little ups and downs, while another person suffers physical, psychological, emotional, or spiritual distress? That is a tough question to answer. It has to do with a combination of resiliency and coping skills. When we have resources to manage our stress, we feel better, because we have learned to counteract the stressful event(s) by doing something that helps us adapt.
One of my favorite philosophies is that we cannot always control what happens to us, yet most of the time we can control our reaction to it. Exceptions are accidents and illnesses, although those can arguably be said to be somewhat controllable factors as well. But understanding that we have control over managing our stress is the core principle of stress reduction.
In future postings within this blog, stress will be defined. We will explore how the body interprets stress and some of the various types of stress. You will have the opportunity to take a stress inventory test that identifies certain stressors and allows you to see a measurable effect. Finally, you will learn about many different ways to control your stress and hopefully choose one or two that are a good fit for you and your lifestyle. It's all about trying to achieve a balance, because life will always throw curve balls.
Please note: The information in this blog is to provide a general overview of stress and some useful tools to help you manage your stress. It is not meant to replace the care provided by your own medical professional. If you are suffering, please do not hesitate to seek additional help.
Kay, sounds like your on your way to being a nurse educator. The blog and summary of yourself sounds like an educator-good job Sue
ReplyDeleteBlissful Nurse,
ReplyDeleteNursing is stressful, and the reasons for it are as varied as the field itself. I recently learned that lesson in the mental health field. I just assumed that because the acuity of the patient was less, there would be less stress. I didn't count on having to worry about being attacked by patients with a history of doing so. It is stressful when a nursing skills class involves 10 different ways of taking control of an attacking patient. This is good stress though. It stops me from becoming complacent. I am looking forward to reading your blog to maybe get some tips on building up my coping skills.
RN.PaulB,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a most valid point that many elements of nursing are terribly stressful and that just because the physical acuity status of a patient is stable, their mental acuity is not a grave concern that taxes the caregiver to the point where they experience symptoms of stress themselves. According to the American Holistic Nurses Association survey (2001), 75.8 % of nurses cited unsafe working conditions as one of their top three health and safety concerns. Being ill-equipped to handle an irate patient constitutes a safety concern. While this blog is intended to help readers understand what stress is, the effects of stress, and suggest some helpful strategies, and not dealing with specific situations as you suggested, you are right in that stress can be a catalyst for change, even if that change is a self-reminder to avoid complacency. As we continue on, I hope you will let me know which strategies appeal to you and why, and even suggest some things that have worked well for you. It's all about learning together and perhaps trying something new!
Reference:
American Holistic Nurses Association. (2001). Holistic stress management for nurses. Retrieved from http://www.ahna.org/Resources/StressManagement/tabid/1229/Default.aspx