#AMSN DEEP BREATHING PROFESSIONAL#
Another feature is that the relationship needs to be nurturing and one that fosters offers encouragement, reassurance, and individual professional growth such as a mentoring relationship. At least some of these individuals need to be from outside the immediate workplace so that support is unbiased and safe to receive, especially when the workplace is laden with tension. Professional relationships which are supportive and nurturingĪ key component in the lives of resilient people is positive social support having one or more people in the profession who are role models and can be called upon for guidance and support when needed. Strategies that help build personal resilience include:
The good news is that resilience is not a personality trait, that we either have or not, but instead consists of behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be developed and fostered to strengthen and adapt to our circumstances. Resilience has been suggested as a strategy for nurses to manage the emotional and physical demands of caring for patients as well as reduce their vulnerability to workplace adversity (excessive workload, organizational restructuring, lack of autonomy, bullying and violence). Others describe resilience as the ability to grow and move forward in the face of misfortune or adversity to adapt to adversity while retaining some sense of control and moving on in a positive manner (Jackson, Firtko & Edenborough 2007). Resilience refers to the ability to bounce back or recover from adversity (Garcia-Dia et al. These experiences and the accompanying reality are the reason resilience has been identified as an essential quality to nurture as part of the caring practice of the nursing profession (Tusaie & Dyer 2004, Hodges et al. One nurse commented that it is “easy to blame the nurses that are working with the inmates daily” rather than look up the chain of command to the organization itself and the managers responsible for the delivery of services. These are tremendous consequences for nursing professionals committed to quality patient care.
#AMSN DEEP BREATHING FULL#
This past year I witnessed a colleague being walked off the job because while she was trying to improve nursing practice she didn’t have the full support of the facility health authority. I too, had to leave a position I had been in for 17 years because I was “in the way” of achieving the cost savings the organization had promised. Each of these courageous nurses described a turning point where they chose to act rather than stay silent and address the needs of their patients each also paid a price, including termination, depression, failing health and so forth.
?I'm a huge fan of 'mindful moments' ie pausing briefly throughout the day and doing a short cycle of controlled deep breathing - it really works to reduce stress! Try it in stressful situations ie in traffic, before meetings, or simply when you need to calm your mind.Last week’s commentary on the burden of moral distress brought forth the concerns and experiences of several more correctional nurses. ?Breathing through your nose, and into your abdomen (belly breathing) is the most effective method There are also other breathing methods such as alternate nostril breathing, which can have benefits ?Breathing in for 4 seconds and out for 6 seconds seems to have the most evidence, although any deep slow breathing can help. it has even been used to help cancer treatment, and may lengthen telomeres (ends of DNA responsible for ageing and disease)! may improve blood sugar levels in diabetics improve lung function and respiratory conditions ie asthma and COPD reduce blood pressure and heart rate (it can even help some arrhythmias ie irregular heart rhythms) improve anxiety, panic attacks, ptsd and depression ?Controlled deep breathing has been shown to: ?The act of focusing on the breath also works as a meditation to calm the mind via reducing the 'alarm' signals in the brain (amygdala) and improving frontal cortex function (concentration, decision making, creativity etc) ?As a result this reduces sympathetic nerve activity ('fight or flight'), which drives the symptoms of stress, and release of stress hormones ?Deep slow breathing works by activating the vagus nerve, which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the 'rest and digest' system) ?Its been around in some cultures for millenia, and is a part of many traditional practices such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, and chanting ?Controlled deep breathing is an incredibly effective tool, for not only stress, but many other aspects of health