Resiliency Strategies for the Nursing Community

by | Apr 1, 2016 | 6 comments

In healthcare we often operate within certain structures. For example, we are employed overall by an organization. Within that institution, we may find ourselves working in a department of nursing. Each department often houses many nursing units. And then nursing units can set up professional practice councils.

Now depending on how large or small your place of employment is, you may or may not experience each of these stratifying levels. However, some form of structure exists. And even within that structure- just like the human body- there are microcosms.

Even if you don’t work on a formal nursing ‘unit’, you typically are part of a team, right? On that team you have individual nurses… and often even other healthcare professionals, support staff, or ancillary providers. And what’s central to every nursing team?

Tricky question? It shouldn’t be- it’s you! You the individual nurse that is part of some healthcare setting. You as a unique person who has to take care of everyone else around you, right?

WRONG!

Sure, as a nurse you need to care for your patients. You teach them and their families. You support your colleagues and teammates. But if you don’t care for the central person in this equation (that’s right… you), the whole thing could fall apart!

Now I give all sorts of burnout prevention tips and self-care advice on this blog. But if you’ve been reading along for some time now… you may want to learn about some new perspectives. So I’d like to tap into and introduce you to several of my nursing colleagues. And the really cool thing… they each offer a really unique take on taking care of the self while we care for patients! So without further ado-

Meet Marsha Battee.

Marsha Battee Marsha Battee is a Registered Nurse and Lifestyle Design Strategist helping nurses escape burnout, follow their passions and create their own freedom through self-care and business building strategies. Marsha received her nursing degree from Georgetown University and has a background in burn, ER/trauma nursing, and as a Forensic Nurse Examiner caring for patients after sexual assault and domestic violence. She is the founder of Wealth & Wellness LIVE, hosts The RN Podcast, and owns RN Getaways. Marsha was also one of twenty entrepreneurs chosen world-wide to participate in Project Getaway 2015 in Bali, Indonesia.

Marsha has an entrepreneurial spirit and is an advocate of self-care for nurses, making it her mission to help them achieve their goals.

During The Art of Nursing, Marsha will be teaching us how to:

  • Free up time and promote self-care activities;
  • Implement systems to allow self-care practice of at least once per week; and
  • Examine the connection between self-care and overall wellness according to research in the nursing population and through evidence-based practices

Then there’s the President Elect of the AHNA, Ms. Lourdes Lorenz.

Lourdes LorenzLourdes Lorenz, DHA-abd, MSN-IH, RN, AHN-BC, NEA-BC is the CEO of the International Integrative Health Institute (IIHI) in Asheville, North Carolina and the President-Elect for the American Holistic Nurses Association. Prior to working at the IIHI, she created and implemented an Integrative Health department that provided inpatient and outpatient services at a large Level I Trauma hospital in Asheville. She is board certified as an Advanced Holistic Nurse and Advanced Nurse Executive. She currently serves as an Ambassador for the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine Board, and is a member of the Advisory Leadership Team’s membership committee.

Lourdes will be presenting us with information related to:

  • Centering Exercises for enhancing self-awareness;
  • Intentionality when caring for patients;
  • Practical applications for engaging in self-care

And last, but certainly not least, I’d like you to know Lisbeth Overton.

Lisbeth OvertonLisbeth Overton is a healer, natural connector, nurse and creator of Whole Life Health LLC and Healthy Nurse by Design. Her sole mission is to guide nurses to stand in their power and heal themselves by tuning into their unique gifts, creating a life of vitality and abundance that makes them excited to be alive.

In The Art of Nursing 2016 online event, Lisbeth will:

  • Explain the relationship between the health of subtle anatomy and its impact on holistic health;
  • Identify what physical manifestations may present when our energy becomes unbalanced;
  • Provide a list of whole food nutrition helps maintain balance and equilibrium in the body

I hope you’ll join us. There are two ways for you to participate:

  1. Nursing organizations can purchase the program as a Nurse’s Week gift for all nursing staff. To find out more and schedule a time to talk with me about this wonderful event, click here.
  2. Individual nurses can register to join us. Information for individual registration is also available here.

What did we miss? I’d love to hear about self-care strategies you use to enhance resilience in nursing in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

Elizabeth Scala, MSN/MBA, RN; Founder of Nursing from WithinAbout the Author: As a keynote speaker, bestselling author and virtual conference host, Elizabeth partners with hospitals, organizations, associations, and nursing groups to help transform the field of nursing from the inside out. During the National Nurse’s Week online conference, ‘The Art of Nursing‘, Elizabeth supports nurses in achieving professional goals of continued learning and development. Click here to find out more about how The Art of Nursing appreciates and celebrates our profession in a meaningful way.

6 Comments

  1. maureenpowers

    great topic and the nurses that you have presenting are all amazing

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Thanks, Maureen!

      Reply
  2. sunnysandra16

    Self-care is very essential for us nurses. I am very delighted to see you are continuing with Your Art of Nursing event. The presenters you listed above sound awesome

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      Thanks, Cassandra!

      Reply
  3. exceptionalnurse

    Hi Elizabeth,

    What a great line-up of participants you have this year. I know Marsha and her work (jealous of her trip to Bali!)

    I look forward to learning more about Lourdes and Lisbeth and the work they do.

    Thanks for sharing all of them with the nursing community.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth

      You got it!

      Reply

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