As a nursing student, you're taught to expect a variety of challenges while caring for your patients and juggling competing priorities as you begin your career. And, though you may know better, your personal well-being can become the last thing you consider in your hectic student or new-nurse life. There is no better opportunity to explore and develop self-care practices than during your years as a student nurse.
This second edition of
Self-Care for New and Student Nurses
equips you to confidently face stressors now and in the future. No matter where you are in your nursing career, this book offers you multiple strategies to prioritize your own mental, physical, and emotional health. Authors Dorrie K. Fontaine, Tim Cunningham, and Natalie May showcase a group of strong contributors whose valuable tips and exercises will help you:
Find joy and a sense of mattering at workManage anxiety, loneliness, and depressionAddress imposter syndrome, practice self-compassion, and thrive during clinicalsCope and seek help with racial tensions, substance abuse, suicide risks, and other traumasSpot the stressors that lead to burnoutPrioritize sleep, exercise, and nutritionBuild a toolkit of self-care techniques, including in-the-moment practices for an ideal workdayDevelop a resilient mindsetEstablish boundaries
We hope that this book opens your mind to the value of self-care and its power to change the way you work, interact with others, and respond to adversity. This is such an exciting time. You are "meeting yourself" during these years of training and preparation for your nursing practice. You are a nurse. Our wish for you: Care for yourself fiercely.