Working with patients day in and day out, we are well acquainted with the signs and symptoms of stress. We are tuned into the physiologic signs, the increase in blood pressure and heart rate, the diaphoresis, the shallow breaths. We notice the psychosocial signs as well, the emotional withdrawal, the lashing out, the irritation, the sadness, the anxiety, the fear.
We dismiss none of them. These are our red flags not only that something is wrong but that intervention is needed. So we intervene. We obviously enact appropriate medical intervention, IV access, O2, labs, EKGs etc but we also see the person behind the diagnosis. We actively try to engage their nervous system to help them regulate themselves. We instruct them to take a deep breath, we get them into a more comfortable position, we remove any aggravating or stimulating factors, we talk to them, calmly and continuously.
It’s what we do all day long. We assess the stress to the human body and we intervene to make it less.
So basically, we’re experts.
This is good news because we already have the skills that we need.
This is the first step to feeling better at work and in life.
What are your signs and symptoms of stress? Don’t keep reading without stopping for a minute to think about it. We have all experienced stress in our lives but have you ever stopped to think of what your signs/symptoms are?
I will share mine in an effort to get you thinking.
Bad tension in my neck and shoulders, significantly worse on the left side.
A tight sensation in my chest
Fatigue
Irritability
Nightmares (that’s how I know it’s really bad)
Headaches.
Clenching my teeth.
Some people have completely different symptoms: racing heart, blood pressure increase, rushing sound in the ears, tears (ok I pretended that shouldn’t be on my list), GI issues, sweaty palms, difficulty concentrating, shortness of breath, dry mouth.
These are our red flags, the red flags that we often just completely dismiss. These are the indications that intervention is needed, and not next Saturday when you have a minute between weekend obligations.
Intervention doesn’t have to be a defibrillator, it can start with some slow breathing, with some acknowledgment that all is not “fine”.
We are patients too, our own patients, and as such we need to start treating ourselves with the same attention, concern and compassion.
Being stressed isn’t a moral failure, it’s a normal part of the human experience. We don’t expect our patients to feel great about going through something hard, we expect them to need support, education, and time to recalibrate.
We need support, and education, and time to recalibrate and we need to start by offering it to ourselves.
How can you support yourself today?
What is one skill that you want to get some education on so you can try it?
How can you acknowledge where you are now and give yourself some time to process and recalibrate? How can you pause and regroup before continuing on?
How can you treat yourself with compassion and care? Once you see that red flag waving, can you stop and ask yourself “What do you need, love?”
If you just can’t seem to apply compassion to yourself, please reach out. I have struggled with this too and have a process that can help you shift your whole perspective. You know you can give amazing care, let’s set up a call so you can learn to apply this care to yourself. Imagine the impact that would have on your whole life. You can schedule here or just shoot me an email Megan@nursingbeyondthejob.com.
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