A career in nursing can be fast-paced and hectic, especially when working at an in-patient or emergency care facility. You may find yourself running back and forth between rooms, visiting with various patients who have a wide variety of medical conditions, ailments or injuries. In order to stay calm during your shift try some of these beneficial strategies.
Skip the extra coffee.
While it may be everyone's favorite energy elixir for getting going in the morning, too much of it can be a bad thing. By the time you're on your third or fourth cup, you may be too wired to focus properly. This is not good, especially when you're working with patients all day long and need to stay on task. To avoid developing a strong dependency on caffeine, consider trying out a healthy and balanced breakfast to get your day off to a good start. Think about making water with lemon your first beverage of the day. It may have a positive impact on your health.1 Some studies have shown that it helps with digestion and bolsters the immune system, due to its enriching vitamin C.
Listen intently.
Working in a healthcare environment, it's imperative that you always listen to what's being said to you as every conversation may prove to be helpful when working with a patient.2 Focus on careful listening when discussing patient conditions and treatments with others. Reminding yourself of this may help keep your mind from wondering during important conversations.
Never raise your voice.
As a nurse, you're expected to maintain a professional and calm demeanor throughout the shift. It's your job to ensure that patients are being properly monitored and cared for in the facility, as well as facilitating communication between physicians, patients and other nurses. Because of this, you should never yell or raise your voice to anyone.3 Deliver information or your opinion in a level, neutral tone. The more you do this, the more of a habit it will be come. After some practice you may be surprised how well you’re able to keep your anxiety under control with a professional attitude.
Take care of yourself.
Both emotionally and physically, you should be making an effort to take good care of your body and spirit.4 This may be the most essential component to remaining calm throughout nursing jobs. Getting a good night's sleep after a long day's work might be the key to keeping your mind clear and devoid of negativity. Additionally, you should try to fit more physical exercise into your day as it may help control and release anxiety. When it comes to emotional and spiritual solutions, consider quiet moments of meditation.
Know when to breathe.
During nursing training and employment, you may find yourself working long hours that seemingly go on forever. It's important that you know when to step back and briefly remove yourself from the scene. Take a short walk around the facility and practice long, deep breaths in order to steady your stress levels and calm your heart rate. Knowing when to take a quick break might be the most important method of staying calm as a nurse.
3http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/calm-down#.
4http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/08/how-to-keep-your-cool-12-tips-for.html?pg=2