Stress: The Role It Plays In Your Nursing Career and How to Control It

As a nurse, stress relief is an important part of your daily responsibilities. Not only does stress harm your well-being, but it can also affect the quality of care you provide to your patients. Find out how big a role tension plays in your nursing career, and learn ways to relieve stress so you can promote good personal health and keep your patients happy.

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The Role Of Stress For Nurses

Caring for patient outcomes is the hallmark of a dedicated nurse, but concern for the well-being of your charges adds an emotional challenge to a job that is already difficult. Long hours, short breaks, a fast-paced environment, and heavy responsibilities all add up to a high-stress situation, and that doesn't include any personal stressors that may be factors. Unfortunately, the stress nurses experience can be damaging to their personal health.

"Physical and emotional stress depletes the body of magnesium, the anti-stress mineral," says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, Founder of RNA Reset. "Magnesium deficiency throws the HPA axis off-balance, which causes excessive production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which also feeds yeast, which can precipitate a variety of illnesses.

"Shantay Carter, RN, BSN, points out that nurse stress potentially causes:

• depression
• fatigue
• burnout
• anxiety
• increased absenteeism
• high turnover rate
• dissatisfaction

In addition to the physical and mental toll stress causes, it can also influence the way you approach your patients, risking a negative impact on your career. Overworked nurses under high levels of stress can lose patience and become irritable and forgetful. This can lead to a breakdown in trust between nurses and their patients and, possibly, medical mistakes that can cause serious harm.

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Tips For Stress Relief

If you recognize some of the physical or mental signs of being overly tense, it's important to take the stress relief steps you need to relax. There are several ways you can relieve stress, so overcoming it is just a matter of finding what works for you.

Try Using Vitamins or Supplements.

Many supplements show promise in helping balance out a stressed body and mind. Suntheanine is a supplement made with an amino acid found in green tea plants that studies have shown relaxation. Dr. Dean suggests magnesium supplements but cautions, "It is important to note that the body easily absorbs not all forms of magnesium. That is why I recommend taking a liquid picometer-ionic form of magnesium, which is smaller in diameter than the body's cell mineral ion channels."

Experiment With Aromatherapy

"To help combat the mental and physical stress from nursing, I look to essential oils and aromatherapy," says Jennifer Lane, RN, and aromatherapist. "A few essential oils I like to use for this are bergamot, rose, and jasmine." She places a few small drops on her chest and inhales deeply to get a calming effect.

Lean on Coworkers

Few things are as healing as having someone to talk to who understands your frustrations. Carter and Lane both suggest turning to coworkers you trust for support. This can be done by taking a quick minute to vent about the stressful thing that just happened or even setting up a regular activity after work where you can all share your feelings about the shift.

Make Personal Time a Priority.

If you're stressed out at work and home, eventually, something will have to give. Make sure to carve out time to do something that helps you decompress and relax. Yoga, meditation, journaling, time at the spa, and working on a hobby can all help repair the damage done by a stressful day at work. Take some guilt-free time for yourself so you can heal.

Remove Yourself

If you're feeling overwhelmed in the middle of a shift, remove yourself from the situation for a moment if you can. Sometimes stepping away can reset your feelings and give you space to take a few calming breaths before facing the issue. For a more significant solution, you can try filling a temporary travel nurse position through AMN Healthcare and benefit from a change in environment.

Nursing is an inherently stressful occupation, but that doesn't mean your health and career have to suffer. A few simple techniques to relieve stress can significantly impact your professional experiences and keep your mind and body intact.

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Additional Nursing Resources:

• AMN Passport: Our all-in-one nursing app for booking nursing jobs.
• Nursing Salary & Benefits: AMN Healthcare offers our nurses some amazing salaries and benefits. Find out what's in store for your nursing career today.
• Travel Nurse Licensing: Find out about nursing requirements for all 50 states.
• Exclusive Facilities: AMN Healthcare has relationships with the most sought-after healthcare providers.
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