Nurses, The Holidays, and Work-Life Balance

There ' s no doubt about it, nurses; it ' s the holiday season, and many of us are feeling the pressure in our personal and professional lives. How do the holidays impact you, your mental and emotional health, your spiritual well-being, and your professional responsibilities as a nurse?Working During the HolidaysMany of you who are employed in hospitals are likely working during the holidays, perhaps even on your favorite holiday. You may miss special moments with family and friends, even while you do your best to spread cheer amidst your colleagues and your patients and their families.Having to show up for work at 7am on Christmas Day or New Years Day is no fun, and having to work 11-7 in the ER on New Years Eve is no picnic. Those of us who don ' t work in hospitals may forget how our nurse colleagues are slogging away while we tuck into Christmas dinner and open presents with family.  For those of us Jews who celebrate Hannukah, having eight days makes it easier to be flexible with our celebrations. And for African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa, it can be a challenge to ask for time off for a holiday that few people recognize or understand; then again, Kwanzaa has multiple nights like Hannukah, so that takes some of the pressure off.No matter how you slice it, the holidays can be difficult enough without the added stress of working odd hours and missing out on the fun.Nurse Self-Care and the HolidaysSelf-care is important at any time of year, but during the holiday ...
Source: Digital Doorway - Category: Nursing Tags: career nurse nurse career nurses nursing nursing careers Source Type: blogs