4th International Conference on
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Biography:

Dr. Shannon Harrington, PhD, RN, CNE is an author, speaker and transformation coach. She has been in nursing roles from the bedside to the boardroom for nearly two decades. As the CEO of T.R.Y. Again Health and Fitness, LLC, she offers individual and group coaching, workshops and online courses teaching self-care and leadership strategies to nurses and entrepreneurs

Abstract:

Statement of the problem:

Per the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation website, “Nurses are less healthy than the average American. Research shows that nurses are more likely to be overweight, have higher levels of stress, and get less sleep. As the largest and most trusted health care profession, nurses are critical to the health of the nation. Healthy nurses are great role models for their patients, colleagues, families, and neighbors…”(ANA, 2020)”. An article on Purdue University Global’s self-care site highlights that “nurses are exposed to pain and suffering and trauma, and are often traumatized and do not realize it. Self-care is actually a responsibility... If we aren't caring for ourselves, we can't care for others (2021). As defined by Purdue University, “Self-care is any deliberate activity that we do in an effort to provide for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being” (Purdue University Global, 2021). Self-care is essential for workers in every field, but especially for nurse leaders who spend countless hours wearing a variety of administrative hats.

 

To help address the need for self-care related to burnout and mental health strain, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced on July 16, 2021, the availability of $103 million in American Rescue Plan funding to reduce burnout and promote mental health among the health workforce. These investments, will help establish a culture of wellness and will support training efforts that build resiliency for those in health careers. For these reasons, a small pilot was conducted to assess the need for and benefits of self-care practices among nurse leaders who are navigating unprecedented times.

 

Methods:

A small qualitative pilot with 5 nursing leaders took place online and used a videoconferencing platform. The leaders held positions such as online nurse educator, didactic nurse educator, nurse entrepreneur, Dean and bedside nurse. The participants were interviewed weekly for 3-months, with a Certified Transformational Coach. During 30-60 minute meetings, the coach used evocative questioning and active listening to understand each leaders personal and professional need for and implementation of holistic self-care practices. There were six areas of self-care they explored including: physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, relationships, and workplace. Each synergistic interaction built upon the other using the nursing process. Interviews included an assessment, diagnosis (identified area of opportunity for growth), outcome identification (goal setting), plan, implementation, and evaluation.

 

Findings:

Each participant enjoyed the reflective activities, opportunities to vent and the accountability of having a transformational coach. Each participant discussed the pressures of their current leadership roles and navigating personal and professional changes amidst the global pandemic.

Nurses reflected about being taught to care for others, and this being ingrained in their life purpose. However, they also expressed reluctance to take the time required to care for themselves, and having difficulty finding self-care activities that match their interests and are easily assimilated into their daily lives. Nurse leaders admitted that they gave the best care to team and patients when they are operating at their own peak wellness. Once participants committed to regular self-care practice, they experienced reduced stress, replenished capacity to provide compassion and empathy, and improved quality of their decision-making and deliverables.

 

Conclusions:

In these unprecedented times, it is important for nurses to regularly practice self-care to prevent burnout and illness. Regular self-care practice helps nurse leaders cope with stressors inherent to diverse leadership roles and in their personal lives. Transformational coaching is an effective method to help hold nursing leaders accountable to self-care and allow them to learn and grow.