Caring for Yourself While Caring for OthersHeidi Taylor, PhD, RN, NC-BCAssociate Professor of Nursing, West Texas A&M UniversityIntegrative Nurse Coach

How Are You?

How are you feeling? How are you functioning? How are you relating? How are you living? How are you being?

How Is Everyone Else?

How are they feeling? How are they functioning? How are they relating? How are they living? How are they being?

The Nurse Practitioner’s Role as an Instrument of Healing

Does the Nurse Need Healing?

Professional Development

Part of Professional Development is Self-Development

Without a coherent sense of self, altruism can become “toxic” (credit Dr. Lisa Davis with term “Toxic Altruism”)

Nurse Practitioner Self-Development

Self-Reflection Self-Assessments Self-Evaluation Self-Care

Self-Reflection

Inner awareness of our Thoughts Feelings Judgments Beliefs Perceptions

Deepen our capacity for healing that is a lifelong journey into wholeness, harmony and balance

Self-Assessment Formal or Informal Deepens our experience of understanding our present way of life,

feelings and habits Dimensions

Life Balance and satisfaction Relationships Spiritual Mental Emotional Physical Environmental Health Responsibility

Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment (IHWA)

Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment (IHWA) Wheel

Environmental 7.

1. Life Balance & Satisfaction

2. Relationships

4. Mental Emotional 5.

Physical (Nutrition, Exercise, Weight) 6.

3. Spiritual

Health Responsibility 8.

Self-Evaluation

Requires that we explore our understanding and experiences of deep attention, intention, presence, and healing How do you let go of fixed ideas about yourself and others? How can you bear witness to your own joy as well as your

own suffering? What allows you to embrace all experiences directly? How can you use all the ingredients of your life?

Self-Care

A practice Engaging in health-related activities Using health promoting and desired behaviors Adopt a healthier lifestyle and enhance wellness

Making a Plan for Self-Care

We make a plan for patients every day, but rarely do caregivers make a self-care plan for themselves

Burn-out can lead to numbness and this makes it difficult to feel what is really going on

Decide you will always make time to care for yourself Without a plan, self-care takes remains low in priority

Principles of Self-Care

Develop a plan for doing your work in a way that is restorative, mindful, wholesome and healthy See your limits with compassion Set up a schedule that is sane Know those Practices and activities that can refresh you Involve, support and nourish other caregivers

Ideas for a Self-Care Plan Use relaxation, imagery, massage, play, exercise,

nutrition, arts, crafts Work with a partner for support and feedback Maintain a commitment to well-being Share responsibility for caregiving with others Create a way to support time-off Be aware of your limits Strengthen your tolerance for differences

Spend some Time Thinking About YOU!

Reflections

References

Dossey, B., and Luck, S. (2014). Nurse Coaching: Integrative Approaches for Health and Wellbeing. North Miami, FL: International Nurse Coach Association.

McElligott, D. (2013). The nurse as instrument of healing. In B. Dossey & L.Keegan (Eds.), Holistic nursing a handbook for practice (pp.827-842). Burlington, MS: Jones and Bartlett Learning.