How to cope when you are a caregiver

Where do nurses go for help?

There's no manual on resilience in nursing. The day-to-day of dealing with the loss of patients, uncontrollable human pain and emotion, is one of the most challenging encounters in clinical practice. As caregivers, we rarely expect to be brave at every moment, and with the proper support and techniques, we can make it through. Here are some ways to get help and cope with stress on the job.

Allow yourself to feel.

To keep it concise, feelings signal how we are reading the environment and are designed to create behavioral responses. Feelings (emotions) give you access to what matters. Sadness is an expressive reaction to the loss of what you care about or what you love. Recognizing your emotion while using grounding techniques can make a difference in how your body responds to deep emotions. Use a journal, meditation, or breathing exercises to bring you through your emotional responses.

Quiet your thoughts.

Let's face it, peace and quiet are hard to come by. Somewhere in between that third cup of coffee and monitors beeping, you find your thoughts racing. At times your thoughts become loud enough for patients to hear. Pause, take a deep breath, a really deep breath and get in touch with your breathing. Focusing on how your body responds to breathing creates an immediate sense of control, quieting your thoughts. While in the moment, decide what can make you feel better and do it. Take a walk, splash cold water on your face. You name it, and that decision will help detach you from your loud thoughts while creating action.

Take a vacation.

As a nurse, you will be working long days. However, make every effort to get away and relax. Find a new exhibit, enjoy a spa, explore new places with friends, or schedule a trip to go see family. Whatever you decide, make time to relax and come back to work refreshed and ready. 

Communication is critical.

Express yourself in spaces outside of the hospital. Whether it's with family, friends, therapists, or anonymous groups, finding your voice can help relieve the stress of work and a helpful coping mechanism. 

Specialize in your field.

Make sure the position you hold in nursing is right for you. Ask yourself questions about your current role and how it may affect you in the long term. Simple changes to your shift hours or location can make a difference in how you handle stress in your environment. Embrace change. Take on a specialty if it will help support your life. 

Affirmations.

Affirmations can help strengthen self-confidence and boost positivity in yourself and others around you. By reciting affirmations, you can build confidence in your ability to overcome emotional stress. They can also help counter the feelings of panic, self-doubt, and fear that often accompany anxiety inducing environments. Nurses who are not prepared for coping with issues such as patient death may not be able to support patients and their family members. Understanding the possibilities of outcomes with patient life in nursing can help broaden understanding of how nurses develop meaningful and effective coping. Typically, affirmations can help change thinking over time. 

Join a community of nurses.

As a nurse, you will have breakthrough days and breakdown days. Speak with other nurses is a great place to start. Nurses understand the profession comes with limited time to put themselves first in a faced paced environment. Joining a committee will allow you to make an impact on your favorite. It will give you access to making changes to help fellow nurses and patients improve their needs.  Joining a community of nurses line can be impactful as well. Sharing your ideas with a larger audience can inspire others to make changes and help cope with their work environments. Make your voice heard.

People will use a variety of several coping strategies, which can evolve and change over time. All these strategies prove useful to adjust better to life. Remembering yourself as not just a nurse but as a human can create greater perceived control over the areas of emotional stress and reduce maladaptive coping. Check in with others and show up for yourself by taking time to cope effectively.