Impact of nurses’ risky drinking behaviours
Nursing and midwifery work can be physically, mentally, and emotionally stressful (Dyrbye et al. 2017). Like many people working in stressful roles, members of this workforce use many strategies to manage the pressures of their professions – both healthy, such as exercise and family activities, and potentially damaging, such as drinking, smoking, and displacement (Happell […]
Just breathe
When four call bells are ringing, IV antibiotics need to be administered stat while another patient urgently needs their catheter emptied – it can all get too much. Stress levels rise causing you to get flustered, which does nothing to help manage your patient load. So what can you do instantly to take control? Simply Breath! According to […]
Psychological hazards
Work contributes to positive mental health and wellbeing. It provides structure, purpose, a sense of identity and self-worth. But what happens when the work is having an adverse effect on personal health and wellbeing? What strategies can be employed to stave off psychosocial stressors of the job? “I think one of the biggest risks is […]
Risk of breast cancer greater for night nurses
Nurses in North America and Europe who work night shift long-term have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, according to a study to come out of China. The study’s findings showed female nurses who worked the night shift had an increased rate of breast cancer by 58%, gastrointestinal cancer by 35% and lung cancer […]
Connecting to why you became a nurse
What is the reason you became a nurse? Was it to care for people? Help people to achieve a better level of health? With the increasing demands and responsibilities of the job, it can be easy to lose sight of that initial goal. For some nursing was the career path they knew they wanted to […]
Not enough time
The feeling of ‘not enough time’ to achieve what is needed in a day can overwhelm the best of us. The stress of which not only affects the time poor nurse or midwife, but their colleagues and patients as well. When it becomes too hard, and too much how do we minimise the effects of […]
Nurses victims of cyberbullying
Nurses and midwives can tragically be the victims of bullying within their workplaces. While there has been numerous strategies implemented to tackle the issue, a study has shown cyberbullying is impacting nurses and midwives as well. The research, from Massey University, University of New Zealand, showed, particularly in small communities, public incidents of cyberbullying via […]
Nurses victims of cyberbullying
Nurses and midwives can tragically be the victims of bullying within their workplaces. While there has been numerous strategies implemented to tackle the issue, a study has shown cyberbullying is impacting nurses and midwives as well. The research, from Massey University, University of New Zealand, showed, particularly in small communities, public incidents of cyberbullying via […]
Tips to promote better sleep during the day to survive night shift
Our bodies are naturally wired to be awake during the day and sleep for approximately eight hours a night. Working night shifts runs counter to the body’s sleep-wake cycle and can seriously affect your health- not to mention your social life. The sleep-cycle is controlled by a part of the brain known as the circadian […]
Selfcare on shift
A ‘Rest, Rehydrate, Refuel’ campaign aimed at nurses has been launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the United Kingdom. The 3Rs initiative highlights the importance of nurses looking after themselves while on shift and how dehydration can affect concentration and cognitive function. The campaign emphasises that breaks are not a luxury but […]