Mental health coping strategies for nurses

Margo Cameron, a registered nurse and clinical practice specialist at Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Windsor-essex County Branch, says there are some different coping strategies for nurses to help deal with the mental challenges the profession poses, including:

SELF-REFLECTION/ SELF-CARE

Take a careful inventory. Ask yourself how you're doing. Do you have time to take a break, exercise, do things you enjoy, engage with family friends and hobbies?

Any maladaptive coping emerging to deal with stress? Are you engaged in any binge behaviours, such as eating, drinking, watching, shopping, new or increased substance use, new addictions, or avoidance of people, places and things?

Cameron says an important thing to consider is: what are the unique things that nurture you, and how can you do more of them?

“It is essential to take care of yourself so you can keep taking care of others,” says Cameron, noting the phrase, “You can't draw water from an empty well.”

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS/THERAPY

“If suffering with anxiety, depression or PTSD that is impacting your personal or work life, seek help,” advises Cameron. “See your GP/NP, consult your employee assistant program or find a therapist who can help you navigate how you are dealing with professional and personal stress.”

EXERCISE/ RELAXATION STRATEGIES/ MEDITATION/YOGA

Cameron says it's important to find ways to unwind that are healthy and work for you personally.

“Find ways to nurture the mind-body connection and restore physical and emotional balance,” she notes.

PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL

ORGANIZATIONS

Organizations such as the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) or the Canadian Nursing Association (CAN) are great ways to find like-minded colleagues for encouragement and support. And she says CMHA'S new program called ECHO Coping with COVID is a great example of joining with other multidisciplinary groups dealing with similar issues.

SEEK OUT NEW RESOURCES TO COUNTER COMPASSION FATIGUE AND REBUILD PROFESSIONAL RESILIENCE

Canadian Francoise Mathieu founded the TEND Academy, which provides education and consulting to a broad spectrum of workforces encountering stress and intense workloads, notes Cameron. Their training helps professionals to understand and address the natural consequences of working in a high-stress and trauma-exposed workplace.

Mathieu's TEDX talk, called The Edge of Compassion, is something Cameron also recommends checking out.

And ECHO Coping with COVID is designed for healthcare providers and health professions students responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can help nurses dealing with overwhelming stresses they're currently facing.