Looking to Cope with Stress in Nursing?
Most nurses enter their careers with a heartfelt desire to provide care. And then- BAM! Reality hits and enter the world of professional nursing. New and experienced nurses alike struggle to cope with stress in nursing.
This happened to me. As an informal social leader on my unit, I was the nurse who organized monthly outings and social activity. Often, we went out to eat and drink at a local Happy Hour.
Since I lived in a city, within walking distance to many bars and restaurants, I did what any “good” girlfriend would do… I invited my boyfriend along!
Happy Hour? No Thanks!
After a few outings, my boyfriend told me he wasn’t going to join us anymore. He politely shared that he was not having any fun. In fact, he pointed out that myself and my colleagues were not doing very well in our attempts to cope with stress in nursing.
Plain English? He said he left happy hour feeling much more UNHAPPY than when he started out!
All we did was vent and complain, gossiping about work and how bad it was. Sure, my boyfriend didn’t care what I did with my coworkers… he simply made it very clear that he was not going to be joining us again!
Constant Complaining vs. Healthy Venting
So, you might be thinking, “Well, what are we supposed to do? We have to cope with stress in nursing! If we don’t let it out… isn’t that even worse than if we talk about our feelings?”
Sure! I totally agree that a form of healthy discussion IS necessary. If we hold our stress in for too long it can manifest into actual physical symptoms and even disease.
Where’s the balance? And what is a practical strategy to help us cope with stress in nursing?
Check out this video for a quick and easy solution:
I just learned a quick & easy way to cope with stress in nursing!Click To Tweet
Let’s hear from you! What is one way you cope with stress in nursing? Share your experiences below and thanks for watching!
About the Author: Keynote speaker and virtual conference host, Elizabeth Scala MSN/MBA, RN, partners with hospitals, nursing schools, and nurse associations to transform the field of nursing from the inside out. As the host of the Nurse’s Week program, The Art of Nursing, Elizabeth supports nursing organizations in celebrating and recognizing their staff in a meaningful way. Elizabeth received her dual master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a certified coach and Reiki Master Teacher. Elizabeth lives in Maryland with her supportive husband and playful pit bull.
I like your article and especially your video. Nurses definitely need to vent, but there is a time and place for it and the time limit is a good idea. I would love to hear from you again. I have another website that deal with support for nurses and I think that there has to be a way from within to make things better. Would appreciate any thoughts you have on how.