Nursing is one of the most demanding fields of work someone can pursue, and all health-related caregiving is difficult at times. In addition to maintaining a sharpened professional skill set and providing multiple patients with undivided compassion and attention, the job is one that often-times can be difficult to leave at work. It is important to maintain emotional wellness for nurses and caregivers, being people who give so much of themselves to others during the day, to make time for themselves and check in on their own emotional well-being.

Nurses and caregivers should not neglect their own emotional wellness. The old cliche about ‘putting our oxygen mask on before we help others’ is nevertheless true. Like everyone else in the healthcare industry, they have to take care of their own health in order to best help others. This is especially important to remember during these stressful pandemic times.

Therapy and Self-Care

All nurses and caregivers from a variety of specialties, experience levels, and backgrounds can improve or maintain their emotional wellness through therapy and self-care, especially through particularly rough periods. These two things often get overlooked when people get stuck in the day-to-day and get overwhelmed. It’s worth stepping back for a few minutes every day to spend time making sure you’re okay.

Importance of Community

Additionally, there can be a tendency to put a lot of attention on a particular issue during a special awareness month, day, or week of observance, only to abandon it when the time period comes to a close. We have to realize that we are nurses all year long and we never stop thinking about the emotional well-being of our staff and patients. Finding people in your community who share the same concerns as you will ensure that these important issues don’t fall by the wayside as soon as the awareness period ends.

Final Thoughts

There are many misconceptions or pitfalls that people might stumble upon when it comes to emotional wellness, but if we take a holistic view at ourselves and at patients, considering what support systems, home environments, and therapeutic/social needs may exist, we can maintain our emotional wellness and help support the wellness of those around us.

If you or a loved one are interested in receiving care with Assisting Hands Home Care in West Austin, please contact (512) 999-7379.