| There are huge amounts of stress in nursing but what | | | | I have found the following techniques to be very |
| can nurses do about this? The following stress | | | | powerful and I use them regularly in meetings and |
| management for nurses article goes into some depth | | | | business situations. |
| to explain some stress relief techniques. | | | | There are several different ways you can use |
| Please note that these techniques can be applied for | | | | visualizations to reduce stress: |
| the reduction of stress at work in any other field. | | | | 1. Imagine yourself to be surrounded by white light at all |
| There are many techniques and tips when it comes to | | | | times of the day, especially if you're in a really stressful |
| stress management for nurses. The trick, as always, is | | | | situation. |
| to actually implement these into your work life. | | | | 2. When you start to get really stressed, breathe |
| I have found the best way of integrating things into a | | | | deeply and imagine roots coming out of the bottom of |
| work practise is getting a routine going and through trial | | | | your feet and grounding you. Release the tension into |
| and error. | | | | the ground. |
| By getting a routine going you carry on doing | | | | 3. Visualize mirrors around you. Don't allow the stress |
| something beneficial even when you don't feel like it. It's | | | | and sickness into you. Reflect it back out. |
| a habit, you do it anyway. The reality is, is that when | | | | 4. Loving Kindness (Tonglen) |
| you don't feel like it, this is usually the time when you | | | | This technique is completely different to the above |
| need the technique the most! | | | | techniques but it is important to see which ones work |
| Through trying out different techniques through trial and | | | | for you. |
| error, you learn first hand what works for you and | | | | There is a wonderful Tibetan Buddhist teacher called |
| what doesn't. | | | | Pema Chodron. She teaches a technique called |
| Stress Management for Nurses | | | | Tonglen. The idea is that you breathe in others pain |
| I spent 6 months working for the National Health | | | | and breathe out love and compassion. |
| Service (NHS) in a hospital in the UK. I wasn't a nurse | | | | This technique was used by many Tibetan monks |
| but an administrator. But I did learn many things which | | | | during their persecution by the Chinese. This is a |
| are helpful in stress management for nurses. I had to | | | | testimony to how well it works! |
| work quite closely with the nurses and doctors and | | | | 1. You are confronted with a difficult situation or person; |
| saw the conditions they were put under. | | | | they are angry, stressed or anxious. |
| The following techniques are ones I would recommend | | | | 2. You consciously breathe in their darkness or their |
| not only for nursing but also for any other stressful job: | | | | pain. |
| 1. Exercise | | | | 3. You then breathe out a white light, love, compassion, |
| Nursing and being a doctor require huge levels of | | | | joy, equanimity. |
| energy. You need to be on your feet a lot of the day | | | | 4. You then breathe in the pain and darkness of |
| in certain departments and the workload can be huge. | | | | everyone in the world |
| By keeping fit you put your body in a better position to | | | | 5. You breathe out healing and light to all beings. |
| cope with the physical and emotional strains which are | | | | It really is very simple and you will find your heart |
| placed on your body. | | | | opening in joy and love rather than closing down in |
| 2. Healthy Eating | | | | fear and pain. Try it now and see how well it works. |
| Doctors and nurses know all about how good nutrition | | | | Think of someone in pain and do it for them. |
| means good health but oftentimes there isn't time to | | | | 5. Affirmations |
| eat. Or you're just too tired to eat properly when you | | | | To repeat affirmations in very stressful situations is |
| get home. | | | | very helpful. If your mind is ranting about how difficult it |
| Tips I would suggest:o Eat a really healthy breakfast: | | | | is, it will become that. |
| porridge with fruit, nuts and dried fruit is wonderful | | | | Challenge your thoughts with positive words. |
| sustenance and will keep you going even if you miss | | | | "I am coping", |
| lunch.o Eat plenty of high energy food:: carbohydrates | | | | "This too will pass", |
| like brown rice, pasta, potatoes are wonderful for | | | | "I am a wonderful being", |
| sustaining energy levels, protein (chicken, white meat, | | | | "I am doing wonderfully well", |
| pulses is another energy boost), fruit (especially | | | | "I am enough". |
| bananas as they are good for energy) and nuts (a | | | | May you be well and take care, look after yourself |
| great source of energy). | | | | first and then your cup will overflow. |
| 3. Visualizations | | | | |