Embracing Self-Care as a Nurse: Lauren Chapnick on Sustaining Compassion and Wellness

On my journey from nursing school to the front lines of an emergency department, I've discovered that tending to my own well-being is as critical as the unwavering care I provide for my patients. This episode peels back the curtain on my personal challenges and triumphs as a new nurse, revealing the undeniable connection between self-care and the compassionate service in healthcare. You'll hear heartfelt stories and gain insights into how a 'full tank' at the start of each day isn’t just a recommendation—it’s a necessity for survival in the demanding world of nursing.

Tune in for an honest conversation about the essential role of self-care in our profession. Through my narrative, you'll learn practical strategies for keeping your energy and empathy reservoirs from running dry, even when faced with 12-hour shifts or the academic rigors of nursing school. Let's rediscover together how to nurture our own spirits, so we can continue to be the best caregivers for those relying on us in their moments of need. Join me, Lauren Chapnick, in embracing the self-care journey that enables us to give the profound level of kindness and dedication our patients deserve.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everybody and welcome back.
This is season two of NursingStudent Coach.
My name is Lauren Chapnick andI will be your host this season.
I am bringing you shortepisodes, less than 10 minutes
each, and I'm sharing with youmy personal insights, lessons,
stories and experiences as a newnurse in an emergency

(00:23):
department, and my hope is tomake you the strongest student
and future nurse that you can be, and no matter what specialty
you choose to go into, I hopethat my stories will help you
learn, help you grow and helpyou become the person you were
always meant to be.
I so appreciate your supportand your ratings and reviews.

(00:47):
If you haven't done so already,if you could kindly take a few
seconds, pull out your phone,give us a quick five star rating
and review on Apple podcasts orwherever you listen to your
podcasts.
That way we can get the show infront of more future nurses who
may not have found us otherwise.
And, of course, you will behelping me to fulfill my

(01:09):
personal mission in doing thisshow, which is to help put more
great nurses into the world.
And now on to today's show.
Hey everybody, nurse Lauren,here and today I want to talk

(01:33):
about something that I amnavigating in my experience as a
new nurse and I think it's sorelevant to nursing school
because I faced the samechallenge in nursing school in a
different way and that isgiving my patients on a 12 hour

(01:56):
shift, giving the same level ofcare to those patients that I
see at 7 am as I do at 6 30 pm,really making sure that I am
keeping a full tank andsustaining my compassion tank,

(02:17):
if you will, so that I am notburnt out mid-shift and I cannot
give that level of care at theend.
Because a 12 hour shift, evenif you get a break, is very long
, it's very daunting, it can be.
Every day is different and youknow each day is going to bring

(02:39):
its own challenges.
But what I'm saying is, if youdon't come in to work with a
full tank already, whatever thatmeans and we'll talk about that
a full tank, the best versionof yourself that you can start
your day with, full, so that youcan give those patients of
yours the best care that you can.

(03:01):
That is your obligation as yournurse.
They have come to you and theirgreatest time of need.
They did not plan to be there.
They didn't wake up and saywell, I'm gonna go to the
hospital today, but they arethere and they are vulnerable
and it is your obligation, it isyour duty, it is your

(03:22):
responsibility as a nurse togive them the best quality care
and level of compassion andempathy that you possibly can.
And how can you do that ifyou're starting your day tired,
hungover God forbid or just notfilled to the point where you

(03:44):
need to be?
Now this is something that I'mnavigating.
That is a challenge for me, andI am by no means am I saying I
am perfect.
But as a new nurse, I lookaround, I look at my environment
, I look and I see other nurses,other staff members, and I see

(04:05):
the ones who already come indrained.
They come in, they have a lookon their face like oh my gosh, I
can't believe I'm here again.
And that's not the kind ofnurse that I want to be and
that's not the kind of nursethat is going to give the best
quality of care.
Okay, how does this apply tonursing school?
Well, how can you get throughyour week of nursing school, how

(04:32):
can you get to that next exam,to get over that next hurdle in
your marathon of nursing school,if you are starting out your
week already burnt out.
If you are drained personallyfrom whatever else is going on
in your life, if you have notspent the proper time recovering
and filling up your tank to getyourself through that week,

(04:57):
that month, that day of nursingschool, you are not going to be
the best student and the bestfuture nurse that you can be.
So how can we do that?
We have to find simple,attainable ways to recharge
ourselves after a shift, afteran exam, after a long day or at

(05:22):
the beginning of each day whenwe wake up to just say, okay,
how can I fill my tank right nowwith everything else that I
have to do?
We all have our own personalresponsibilities.
We all have families.
We all have, whatever it is,bills to pay.
How can we refocus, fillourselves up so that we can be

(05:42):
the best we can be?
Well, let's talk about it.
Maybe it's getting up 10minutes early and doing some
self-care morning routine.
I talked about that in seasonone.
It is so crucial.
You don't need any more than 10minutes If you can take an hour
or 30 minutes and you can do alonger morning routine and you

(06:06):
can do yoga or a meditation oreven just reading a book or
writing in a journal, or breakit up into five minutes of each,
that's great.
Whatever you can give yourself.
Some days you can do an hourand you're gonna see a
difference.
Some days you might just do 10minutes, and that's better than
nothing.
Or sleep.

(06:27):
Sleep is huge If you're notgetting.
You know what you need.
You know what you need to feelgood.
I used to be able to get by onsix hours recently, just with
working full-time and doingeverything else that I'm doing.
I need at least seven and Iknow that about myself.
I know I need at least sevenhours.
So if I got to work backwards,if I know I have to get up at

(06:50):
five to be at work at seven,then that's what I got to do.
I got to get to bed by 10 orget to sleep by 10.
You have to plan in order tofill your tank.
What else can you do?
Can you give yourself littlemicro doses of self-care during
the day?
Do you have a little break?

(07:10):
Do you have a five-minute breakfrom a class, maybe?
Get up and just take a walkoutside, no matter what the
weather, just take a walkoutside, just breathe in the air
of the outside and clear yourmind.
If you have a five-minute break, downtime at work if that ever
happens to you I know in the ERthere's no such thing as

(07:32):
downtime but if you have a break, get off the unit, leave the
floor.
Do not go into the staff breakroom and just be surrounded by
the chatter of the department.
Go somewhere else in yourfacility, get off the floor.
If you're a nurse, or If youhave a lunch break as a nursing

(07:52):
student, change your environment, change the scenery.
It resets your mind in a waythat you don't even realize
until you've done it, and oryou've done the opposite and you
see, oh my gosh, I never left.
I never left the classroom.
I've just been sitting here thewhole time, and now we're back
from break.
The point is, guys, you don'thave a shot of being the best

(08:16):
version of yourself if you'restarting off your day on Empty.
You cannot run on fumes.
That is not sustainable.
You may last the day, you mayjust get through, but you don't
want to just get through.
You are a nurse, you are onyour way to being a nurse, or
maybe you are one already.
You worked hard to be there andthis profession is such a huge,

(08:42):
massive responsibility.
You are Caring for other peoplein their most vulnerable States
.
They come to you for help, theycome to you for care.
You have to Fill up your tankfirst so that you can care for
others.
That is my soapbox for today,guys.

(09:04):
So do whatever you need to doto fill your tank At the start
of each day and throughout theday, because unless you care for
yourself, you cannot care forother people.
I love you all and I'll see youthe next time.
Bye, bye.