Self-Care for Agency Nurses

By its very definition, nursing is a profession focused on care. That being said, all too often nurses are neglecting their own wellbeing. In NHS and private nurse jobs alike, nurses promote wellness to others, while not necessarily addressing their own needs adequately. Despite the importance of self-care being promoted among the nursing community, it’s becoming clear that many healthcare professionals still aren’t in a position to give themselves opportunities to recharge. Reports of burnout and fatigue are becoming increasingly common amongst healthcare professionals in nursing jobs.

Self-care isn’t selfish, and shouldn’t be considered a luxury - it’s imperative that nurses, who are working at the forefront of patient care, are able to take care of themselves so that they can care for others. Self-care is a deliberate act, time taken to improve one's mental, physical or spiritual well being; for example yoga, meditation, cooking or reading. We all develop various strategies and coping mechanisms, and it’s no secret that nursing jobs often don’t allow for much time to practice self-care. Investing time in yourself has a number of benefits. It can be a successful stress-management tool and allow you to work more effectively and sustainably, and ultimately delivering a better standard of care to patients.

It can mean different things for different people. Self-care isn’t a cookie cutter idea, it’s specific to each person and their needs. Even if it’s just 10 minutes a day, fitting in a little bit of time around your nursing job. Regardless of how you interpret self-care, try to make sure you’re not running on empty and take care of yourself. In your nurse job, if you treat yourself a little better, you can also deliver better care. 

If you’re looking to move away from the pressures of your current nursing job, why not explore a new career? As a specialist nursing recruitment agency, Direct Healthcare recruit for nurse jobs to match your preferences, offering flexibility and shift patterns that suit you. Explore our latest nurse jobs and HCA jobs here.