Managing Holiday Stress As A Nurse
The holiday season can be an especially stressful time for nurses. Dealing with the demands of the holidays is hard enough, but when you add in long shifts, staffing shortages, and increased patient loads, it can be overwhelming. If you’re feeling overwhelmed as a nurse during the holidays, there are ways to manage stress and take care of yourself. Here are five tips for managing holiday nursing stress.
1. Take Time For Yourself
You may feel like you don’t have enough time to take a break or relax during the holidays. But it is important to make time for yourself so that you do not become overwhelmed and burned out. Taking breaks throughout your shift can help reduce stress levels and give you time to recharge before going back to work. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, eat healthy meals, and exercise regularly if possible.
2. Reach Out To Your Colleagues
It can be difficult to ask for help in nursing, but it is essential if you want to avoid burnout and keep up with the demands of your job. Talk with colleagues who are also feeling overwhelmed or stressed — they can provide support while offering ideas on how best to manage competing priorities over the holidays. Additionally, make sure to reach out to family members or friends outside of work who understand what it’s like being a nurse — they may have great advice on how best to cope with holiday stress as well.
3. Practice Self-Care Techniques
Self-care techniques can help reduce stress levels significantly — even during the busiest times at work! Meditation is an excellent way to practice self-care; just 10 minutes of meditation a day can reduce anxiety levels significantly and improve focus and concentration throughout your shift. Other self-care practices such as yoga or journaling can also be helpful in managing holiday nursing stress.
4. Set Boundaries With Patients And Family Members
When dealing with patients or family members who are in need of extra attention during this busy season, it is important to set boundaries so that you don’t become overwhelmed by their demands. Let them know that while you will do everything in your power to provide the best care possible, there are only so many hours in a day that you can dedicate towards providing care — and that any requests outside those hours should be discussed with another healthcare provider on staff or a member of their family who is available at that time.. Doing this will allow you more breathing room during your shift without compromising on quality care for patients and their families alike!
5 .Take A Vacation Day (Or Two!)
If all else fails and nothing seems like it’s helping reduce your level of stress during this busy season, consider taking a vacation day (or two!). It may seem counterintuitive when there’s so much work left undone - however taking some time off from work will give you an opportunity to rest and recuperate from any physical or emotional exhaustion caused by working long shifts over the holidays.. You'll return refreshed both mentally and physically — making it easier for you handle any additional responsibilities that come up!
The holidays bring added stress into every nurse's life – but by following these tips above – taking breaks, reaching out for help from colleagues & family members, practicing self-care techniques & setting boundaries when necessary – nurses everywhere can manage their holiday nursing stress more effectively & remain focused on providing quality patient care throughout this festive time!
