Moving Forward After a Pandemic

Nursing has remained one of the most honored and trusted professions for decades. Many people look up to those who dare to take on this occupation due to its challenging, self-sacrificing nature. Even with these incredible characteristics, nothing could have prepared nurses for what was to come in 2020.

When a virus took over the world, people stayed home to protect themselves and others, while nurses once again rose to the occasion. Nurses went to work to take care of the public. They watched thousands of people become ill and die from the virus. The weight of the world felt as if it were resting on their shoulders.

Nurses were expected to work through the pandemic with minimal staff, high-patient loads, and low amounts of personal protective equipment (PPE). This left nurses feeling unsafe, overworked, and burnt out. Many struggled to keep their strength which led to a mass exodus of nurses from the profession altogether. The lasting effects of the pandemic left the nursing profession in a fragile state.

The burden of the world became too much to bear. The stress of the virus exposed healthcare workers to many mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal behavior. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the amount of mental illness among healthcare workers has increased exponentially.

Nurses neglected their own personal needs in order to take care of others, including working 12 hour shifts without using the restroom, drinking water, or eating. Following 12 hour shifts, nurses felt exhausted having given every ounce of themselves to do their job to the best of their ability which leads to self-destructive behaviors. These self-destructive behaviors include lack of personal care, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, using alcohol/drugs, etc.

It is time for a new era of nursing. An era of nurses that take care of themselves. Nurses that eat healthy, exercise regularly, have better work-life balance, seek therapy/counseling and overall take care of their own personal needs.

One way nurses can take care of themselves is to invest in themselves. Some say that the better you feel about yourself, the better you function. Investing in a comfortable, soft and quality uniform helps nurses perform their best while working long shifts. CyTy Corporation, website: cytywear.com, created apparel to provide nurses a uniform that they can feel better about themselves both physically and mentally.

Now that the world is 2 years through the pandemic, nurses must take back their lives in order to preserve the profession that has been respected and admired for years, it is up to nurses to take care of themselves.

This is the new era of nursing.

Until next time,

The Charting Chicks
RN Blogger