DiversityNursing Blog

As Nurses, death can be a regular, everyday occurrence. But just because we encounter death frequently does not mean that experiencing the loss of a patient won't impact us. In this profession, we care for people when they are at their most vulnerable, and we create meaningful relationships with many of our patients and their families.

When we lose a patient, it’s common for Nurses to experience grief and it can be challenging to navigate the grief you feel. Here are some ways to help you cope with the loss of a patient.

Acknowledge the Loss

Losing a patient is just as real as losing any other person in your life. Try not to minimize the impact the loss of a patient has made on your life. Allow yourself the time to feel your feelings and emotions.

It is normal to experience emotions of sadness, anger, shock, or even disbelief. Some Nurses may also experience physical changes in response to the loss, such as trouble sleeping, nausea and fatigue, anger, or poor concentration. Acknowledging the loss and honoring the person's life can help you move past your grief.

Find Support

Finding support from your peers, colleagues, friends, and family is essential for coping with the loss of a patient. Having a good support system allows you to express your feelings of grief and helps you get some of the emotions you are experiencing off your chest.  

For example, many facilities offer briefings after a patient is lost so that all healthcare team members can express their thoughts and feelings and discuss how to improve patient care in the future. In addition, some Nurses may find that speaking with a therapist or grief counselor can help them navigate feelings and offer support after experiencing the loss of a patient.

Practice Self-Care

Grief can often manifest itself physically, so it is essential to prioritize your physical health after losing a patient. Nurses should get adequate sleep, eat healthy, and exercise regularly to maintain their physical well-being. In addition, some Nurses find that meditating or practicing yoga can help heal the mind and body.  

Take a Break

Death is an emotional experience, and as Nurses, we are only human. It is not unreasonable to feel all the emotions surrounding the loss of a patient. It is OK to take a break when things get tough. If you are overwhelmed with emotions after losing a patient on the job, it’s ok to take a break to cry, take a walk, or call a friend to talk. It is important to care for your personal needs so you can get back to taking the best care of your patients.

Coping with the loss of a patient can be challenging, but the first step in learning to cope is acknowledging that grief is a normal reaction to any loss. Acknowledging your feelings, seeking support, practicing self-care, and knowing when you need to take a break can help prevent Nurses from experiencing burnout and get you back to providing your patients with excellent patient care.

Performance anxiety and low confidence can be common among new Nurses as the field can feel intimidating. For your new journey, here are helpful tips to boost your confidence and help you to become the strong and resilient Nurse we know you can be. 

Find a Mentor

Mentors can be beneficial as they offer advice, guidance and support. They ease the transition to practice for new graduate Nurses, re-entry Nurses, and Nurses new to a specialty area.

Andrea Tran, an RN and lactation consultant cautions new Nurses to choose experienced Mentors who also have a knack for teaching. "They will tell you to let them know if you have any questions and ask you if you want to watch or participate in something you haven't done before or haven't yet mastered. They will make you feel good about your progress."

Knowledge is Power

Consistently learning and growing your knowledge will make you feel more confident in your decisions. Always ask questions if you're unsure about something. There are numerous training courses and opportunities for improving your skills. 

Don't Compare Yourself To Others

It's normal to feel the need to compare yourself to others but it's important to remember every Nurses' path is different, every shift is different, and every experience is different. Your team members are exactly that, your team, not your competitors. Learn from them but also be proud of the skills you have and the work you do. 

Stand Up For Yourself

Unfortunately, we know bullying exists in the Nursing profession, but you don’t have to succumb to it. Being bullied can affect your self-esteem big time. Bullies feed off of low self-confidence and a passive communication style. Hold your head high, make eye contact, and stand up for yourself by speaking with a strong sense of self. Believing in yourself is a powerful tool! 

Spread Positivity 

Positivity is contagious and it feels good to lift others up. When you spread positivity, you’re creating a warm and inviting environment. Not only will people gravitate to you they will in turn feel better and spread that positivity further, boosting morale and confidence for all. 

Don't Seek Validation From Others

Sometimes Nursing can feel like a thankless job. Remember why you're here - to care for others. If you're looking for a 'job well done' as approval for your hard work, you might be let down. It is important to recognize and appreciate yourself internally for your contributions and all that you do for others. 

It’s imperative Management recognizes staff for the incredible work Nurses do. But recognition is different from approval. Validation should come from within and not from others. 

Self Care

Being a Nurse can have physical and emotional affects from stressful working conditions. Self-care and healthy lifestyles are crucial. Nurses should seek out help from their mentor, a therapist, or other trusted colleagues if they are feeling distressed. It is essential to be mindful about eating healthy, getting enough sleep  and maintaining routines. Positive affirmations and healthy rewards for your hard work are needed. 

In your Nursing career, have you experienced self-esteem issues? What helped you overcome those difficult times? Please share with us in the comment section below.

Nurse burnout is not a new concept. Nurses have been experiencing burnout for decades. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, more Nurses than ever are experiencing burnout, making it a hot topic in the Nursing community. Nurse burnout is often brought on by everyday stressors like insufficient staffing, increased workload, high patient acuity, and even verbal or physical abuse from patients. These stressors result in physical, mental, and emotional fatigue. As a result, Nurse burnout has been a significant factor in the number of Nurses leaving bedside Nursing or even the profession altogether.

Identifying the symptoms of Nurse burnout is the first step in preventing it from progressing. Nursing burnout is not one size fits all, and there can be many different ways it manifests itself. Nurses can experience various symptoms, including fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, anxiety, loss of desire to go to work, feeling underappreciated, overworked, or unsupported, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and may even isolate themselves or withdraw from activities.

With an emotionally demanding and stressful job, it can be normal to experience some ill feelings toward your job from time to time. However, when the ill feelings begin to linger for weeks or start to affect your personal life or how you feel toward your job, it may be time to take some time for yourself and implement some of these strategies to reduce the risk of becoming burnt out.

Develop Strong Relationships with Coworkers

Nurses work in stressful situations but having a good support system with those you work with can help lighten the load and decrease the risk of experiencing burnout. This is because Nurses in positive environments feel more supported by the people around them. Having good support from Nurse friends can reduce stress levels and the emotional exhaustion you may encounter in the clinical setting.

Prioritize Physical and Mental Health

A great way to prevent Nursing burnout is to prioritize your physical and mental health. Nurses cannot pour from an empty cup. Practicing yoga, meditation, or journaling are all excellent ways to relieve stress and work through frustrations or concerns. Nurses should also try their best to eat well, drink plenty of water, get adequate sleep and participate in physical exercise several times per week.

Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries is essential to prevent burnout. Nurses often work long shifts with varying schedules, which can be challenging to navigate for some Nurses as they work opposite shifts than friends and family. Although working extra hours can benefit your wallet, it may have different personal benefits. Taking the time to disconnect from work stressors and spend time with loved ones is essential for a work-life balance. Sometimes it's better to leave work at work and avoid work-related conversations while on your time off.

Find Support with Loved Ones

The Nursing profession can come with a heavy mental load contributing to burnout. Finding support from family and friends is essential. If you experience trauma in your workplace, sometimes talking to a therapist or counselor can help with coping strategies and processing your feelings. 

Find a Creative Outlet

Having a creative outlet can help release endorphins that can help to prevent Nurse burnout. Research has shown that Nurses with creative endeavors have enhanced mood, more energy, stronger immune systems, and lower stress. Some Nurses enjoy activities like crocheting or knitting, painting, or pottery. So if you have been looking for a way to decrease work stress, now might be a perfect time to learn a new skill and pick up a new hobby.

Consider Advancing Your Career

If all else fails and you continue to experience symptoms of Nurse burnout from chronic job stress, consider going back to school to advance your Nursing career. By advancing your Nursing career, you can become a Nurse leader, Nurse Educator, or a Nurse Practitioner. These career paths can provide autonomy, a change of pace, and remove you from your current clinical environment. Advancing your career also gives you a unique advantage to change how we practice Nursing and help prevent Nursing burnout for future generations of Nurses.

It takes a team effort to prevent Nursing burnout. Administration and Nurse leaders must prioritize the well-being of their Nursing staff, and Nurses themselves must strive to care for themselves as well as they care for their patients.

It's no secret Nursing is a stressful and physically demanding career. High stress levels can affect your health and well-being. However, there are ways to manage your stress. Consider some of these techniques.

Try keeping a journal, or note times when you don't feel your best and jot down what might be contributing to that feeling. For example, if you're running low on energy it could be from lack of proper sleep or nutritional foods in your diet. 

Some breathing techniques developed to reduce stress include:

• 4-7-8 technique: Breathe in for four seconds with the nose, hold for seven, and breathe out for eight through the mouth.
• Belly breathing: Place one hand on the belly and one on the chest, feeling the belly move and the chest remain still while breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
• Breath focus: Use a picture or phrase to aid in relaxation, such as picturing the air as calmness.
• Equal time: Count the breaths in equal time, such as five seconds, for inhaling and exhaling.
• Modified lion’s breath: Breathe in through the nose, and out through a wide open mouth with a “ha” sound.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense and relax muscle groups in succession while breathing in and out.

Calm the mind. Mediation goes hand in hand with deep breathing. One of the biggest barriers to meditation is that people don’t know where to begin. Start with small goals like 2 minutes every day for a week, then increase your time slowly from there. 

Find a quiet space, get comfortable, then set your timer. Focus on your breathing or chosen mantra. A mantra is a word, phrase, or sound repeated it in your mind continuously. 

Thoughts will float in and out of your mind. Acknowledge them then let them go. The goal of meditation is to keep your focus on one thing. 

If you have trouble practicing on your own, there are many guided mediation apps and online videos to help. 

Recharge your batteries. As you know, lack of sleep is a major stress factor. To achieve better sleep, try the deep breathing and meditation exercises mentioned above, right before bed, as well as these suggestions:

• Don't consume caffeine, alcohol, or food for at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Establish a consistent sleep schedule/routine.
• Avoid electronics for at least 1 hour before bedtime.
• Try rubbing lavender essential oils on your temples or pillowcases. 

Get your blood pumping. Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Exercise boosts your endorphins and helps release physical tension.

Enjoy A New Hobby. Hobbies are a great way to relieve stress because it shifts your focus on to something that makes you happy. It doesn't have to be time consuming. It could be watching a funny movie/tv series, reading a book, or knitting. 

Seek Help. If the stress is becoming too much for you to handle on you own, it's okay to seek advice or counsel from a loved one or a trusted mental health professional.

Because you are a Nurse, you often care for others without stopping to care for yourself. This ideology needs to change. It's extremely difficult to provide quality care for others when your own mental health is suffering. Be sure to take care of YOU too!