STUDENT
The importance of self-care for
improving student nurse wellbeing
Sophie Emery, Third-Year Student Children’s Nurse, University of Hertfordshire (se17aaq@herts.ac.uk)
A ‘
s a third-year student nurse in the
final 6 months of my course, I am
about to join the workforce and
begin a new ‘extended placement’,
because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a student nurse, I am a caregiver, and
I understand the importance of supporting
patients, families and colleagues. However,
sometimes this can affect my own wellbeing.
It is therefore important that I develop coping
strategies that can nurture my own mental
and physical wellbeing, thus enabling me
to have the capacity to deliver safe, high-
quality patient-centred care. Research into
the benefits of supporting staff wellbeing
is growing, with increasing recognition
and understanding within the healthcare
system that well supported staff are not only
beneficial for the individual’s health, but can
also make us better and safer clinicians.
Self-care strategies
The primary duties of protecting the health,
safety and wellbeing of the workforce are the
responsibility of employers, but I believe there
are several self-care practices that I can use to
improve my own wellbeing. I have always had
a keen passion for discovering strategies to
improve my physical and mental wellbeing. In
these uncertain times I know how important
it is to maintain these self-care rituals. These
can include taking allocated breaks, staying
active and practising mindfulness. I have
chosen to focus on these self-care practices
myself, as I feel they have benefitted me most
throughout my nursing degree.
Taking allocated breaks
The scheduling of self-care practices, such
as taking allocated breaks, helps the conflicts
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Mindfulness helps
me to feel calmer in
the moment and able
to leave work-related
’
stresses at work
and challenges that arise throughout the day
become easier to rationalise and overcome.
Rest breaks are very important and help
create safe working environments, even more
so at times like the present, as fatigue can lead
to mistakes and increase the risk of infection.
The duty stands with trusts to ensure staff can
take regular breaks to recharge and prevent
the onset of physical and mental fatigue.
Taking allocated breaks whenever possible
helps provide the opportunity to rehydrate,
which improves concentration and cognitive
function. When out in practice, I try to
take my breaks whenever I can, and try to
view breaks as essential to support a healthy
working environment, and not as a luxury.
Exercise and physical activity
Nursing is considered to be a physically
demanding profession, with many hours spent
standing and moving around. Thus it is vital
we look after our own physical wellbeing.
Keeping physically active through exercise
can also have a direct impact on improving
mental wellbeing. Completing exercise
benefits us all by releasing ‘happy’ hormones,
such as serotonin and endorphins.
I find exercise helps to improve my mood,
my concentration levels when completing
essays and reduces stress. The current
government recommendations for exercise
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is 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. For me,
discovering running as a form of exercise has
helped me to keep motivated, and I ensure
that I schedule in time to do it.
Practising mindfulness
Stress levels and psychosocial wellbeing are as
important as physical health. I have recently
started practising mindfulness as a form of
meditation. Mindfulness helps you to connect
with what is happening in the present
moment, rather than being fearful of the past
or future. For me, mindfulness helps me to
feel calmer in the moment and able to leave
work-related stresses at work without taking
them home. It is becoming clear that nurses
everywhere could benefit from mindfulness.
By concentrating on the present moment and
not worrying about the past or future, it can
enable nurses to provide better patient care.
Concluding thoughts
In this current uncertain time, I am
reminded of the importance of looking
after myself and ensuring that I seek further
advice and support if needed. As a health
professional, I have a responsibility to invest
in my own mental and physical wellbeing
so I can be alert and enthusiastic when
providing care for my patients, and to help
me succeed in my university work. Over
my 3 years of training I have found that it
is important to find a self-care method that
is individual to me and suits my schedule,
helping me to practice regularly. I have
found taking an interest in my own health,
exploring what makes me a happy and
motivated health professional, has helped me
with the willingness to care for others to the
best of my abilities. BJN
© 2020 MA Healthcare Ltd
@BJNursing
British Journal of Nursing, 2020, Vol 29, No 14