January 29, 2025 • 42 mins
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Can nurses truly remain resilient amid the challenges of modern healthcare? Explore how we, as nurses, can navigate the evolving landscape of patient care while staying true to our ethical commitments. This episode of the Ritual Nurse podcast promises insights into how we can advocate for marginalized communities, inspired by the legacy of trailblazers like Florence Nightingale and Lillian Wald. We draw on the International Council of Nurses Code of Ethics, emphasizing the importance of equity, justice, and confronting our personal biases to provide respectful and dignified care to all.
As we dive into the heart of nursing ethics, the discussion brings to light the emotional hurdles we face daily. The profession demands a steadfast commitment to patient rights and equitable care, and we explore how social determinants of health play a pivotal role in shaping our advocacy efforts. With the American Nurses Association's Code of Ethics as our guide, we reaffirm our dedication to respecting human dignity and collaborating for social justice, offering both validation and strategies for those experiencing frustration and fear in these tumultuous times.
Amidst the intensity, maintaining our wellness is essential. Discover strategies for setting boundaries to protect our mental health and prevent burnout, from establishing digital and emotional boundaries to carving out time for self-care. We also sprinkle a little magic into the conversation with tips for flavorful hydration and the soothing properties of Larimar crystals. Whether you're looking to sustain resilience, find moments of peace, or enjoy a touch of divination for guidance, this episode offers a well-rounded approach to thriving as a nurse in today's fast-paced world.
Hey! Make sure you subscribe to stay connected. Love a nurse? Who doesn't! Share with all the nurses you know. The more we reach, the more we help. We feel like no one deserves center stage focus more than nurses and our mission is to reach the millions of superstars out there. We'd love to hear your stories, your adventures, your wins, and especially your needs and questions! Email us at hello@ritualnurse (dot) com. Also, you can send us fan mail! Use the link at the beginning of the show notes. Resources, classes, blogs, and podcast info can be found on our home site at TCTH.org. The Ritual Nurse Podcast is part of The Code Team educational platform.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Welcome to the Ritual Nurse, where healing meets
humor, science and a touch ofmagic.
Hi, welcome back to the RitualNurse podcast.
This is Reva, your Ritual Nurseand the host of the podcast.
In last week's episode, wetalked about the science behind
why the methods that I'm givingyou works, and it's going to be
(00:35):
more important than ever thatyou understand the science
behind why it works and the factthat it does, because all of
those methods are going to bereally, really important in the
time ahead.
So this is episode five, andwell, we're going to do a
reality check.
A lot has happened in betweennow and when I recorded episode
(00:57):
four.
So, in all honesty, I recordedepisode four probably a good
week before it launched, and inbetween episode four launching
and now, there's been somereally significant changes,
especially for those of usnurses in the United States.
So we're going to take a lookat it Now.
I'm not going to rehasheverything that has occurred and
(01:21):
list everything off, notbecause I don't want to.
I am actually a very vocaladvocate.
However, it's because in everyother form of social media
surrounding you, you've beenbombarded by it over and over
and over again, and that's notwhat we're going to do in this
podcast.
In this podcast, we're actuallygoing to reaffirm a few things.
(01:44):
We are going to reestablishthat common ground that we have
as nurses and we're going todiscuss some very real, very
tangible ways to protect ourpeace and to protect our mental
health.
So one of the things that we dohave to talk about is we got to
(02:07):
do a reality check.
We're going to talk aboutwhat's happening and why it
matters to us as nurses.
So there have been quite anumber of things really kind of
a deluge of things coming downthat are impacting healthcare
and impacting populations,especially for our Black,
indigenous, people of color, ourLGBTQIA+ and especially our
(02:30):
transgender patients.
Now, regardless of yourpolitical or otherwise,
affiliations, perspectives orbeliefs, our one common ground
that all of us share is thatwe're nurses and, in that regard
and in that respect, ourpatients are our patients.
(02:51):
So the nurse to patienttherapeutic relationship comes
with professional and ethicalresponsibilities and boundaries,
and that level playing field iswhat we're here to reaffirm,
because these political andsocial issues directly affect
and impact our patient careenvironments, patients' access
(03:16):
to care, the quality of careavailable to patients, and in
many cases, they actually denypatients medical care and in
many cases, they actually denypatients medical care.
So in nursing, we have always,always dealt with systemic
(03:37):
barriers in healthcare, socialdeterminants of health,
socioeconomic statuses and thesystemic barriers in healthcare,
like racism, transphobia andother forms of oppression.
They show up insidiously inhealthcare and everything from
implicit bias to outright denialof medical care at both a
policy and insurance statutelevel, statuette level.
(04:09):
Now, for some nurses, politicaladvocacy is something that they
enjoy and that they engage in,and for others they don't, and
both are okay.
So in the show notes and on thewebsite, I am going to have a
list of resources andorganizations that those of you
who do engage in politicaladvocacy and action can get more
information, can connect with,find intersection with.
(04:31):
And if that's not you as anurse and you don't want to
engage in political advocacy inthat level, that's okay.
We're going to continue talkingabout what we do as nurses and
where that commonality lies, andit doesn't have to involve
conflict, so that's okay, nomatter which type of nurse you
(04:54):
are.
In that regard, either of themare okay.
To acknowledge, however, is ouremotions.
So right now, regardless ofyour perception, regardless of
your affiliation, so many of youare feeling frustration, are
(05:15):
feeling fear, you're scared, arefeeling anger, and so many of
us are experiencing just a vastarray of emotions, strong and
deep emotions, and they're valid.
Every single one of theemotions that you are feeling
(05:36):
are completely valid.
This is a challenging andheartbreaking time, no matter
what your perspective ischallenging and heartbreaking
time, no matter what yourperspective is.
It doesn't even matter whetheryou're in the United States or
not.
This is a challenging andheartbreaking time.
And your feelings, every singleemotion, is valid.
And nurses, well, we've alwaysbeen the frontline advocates for
(06:02):
patient well-being and safety.
Nurses have always beenassociated with therapeutic
well-being.
This is connected to all of ourcore nursing values and ethics.
Now, speaking of our ethics, I'mgoing to refresh our memory a
little when it comes to nursing,professional responsibility and
(06:24):
our ethical duty.
So the American NursesAssociation, the ANA Code of
Ethics, has several provisionsthat discuss this, and provision
one is a respect for humandignity.
Nurses practice with compassionand respect for every person's
intrinsic worth, regardless ofbackground or status.
(06:45):
Provision two it's a commitmentto the patient.
Nurses' primary commitment isto the patient, requiring nurses
to safeguard patients' rightsand interests, including and
especially those of vulnerablepopulations.
Provision three advocacy andprotection.
(07:06):
Nurses promote, advocate forand protect the health, safety
and rights of the patient.
This provision explicitlyaddresses the nurse's role in
mitigating harm and advocatingfor equitable care.
I've said this so many timesyou can have all the fancy mouth
(07:27):
words you want about equality,but if you don't have equity it
means nothing.
Provision eight iscollaboration for human rights
and health diplomacy.
This provision encouragesnurses to collaborate with other
healthcare professionals andthe public to address social,
economic and environmentaldeterminants of health, aiming
(07:51):
directly to reduce disparitiesand uphold social justice.
The International Council ofNurses, the ICN Code of Ethics
standard, nurses and people.
This stipulates that nursesrespect human rights, including
cultural rights, and the rightto life and choice, and that we
(08:11):
provide care without prejudice.
Nurses and the profession.
This standard calls on nursesto sustain the values of the
profession through advocacy andleadership in shaping social and
health policies that promoteequitable care.
We have principle-basedbioethics.
(08:32):
This was first voiced by BoChamp and Childress in 1979, and
it's been revised repeatedlysince then, just strengthening
each one of these principles.
They'll be very familiar to you, I think.
Autonomy, recognizing eachpatient's right to
(08:52):
self-determination, whichincludes advocating for
marginalized individuals whoseautonomy might be undermined by
systemic barriers.
Beneficence and non-maleficence.
This requires nurses to act inthe best interest of patients
and avoid causing harm,particularly important for those
at risk due to discriminationor inadequate access to care and
(09:13):
justice.
This demands fairness indistributing resources and care.
This principle underscores theduty to address health
inequities and advocate forpolicies that protect vulnerable
populations.
All of our frameworks involvesocial determinants of health
(09:34):
social justice, health equity.
We recognize that factors likesocioeconomic status, race,
gender identity and immigrationstatus directly affect our
patients' access to care.
Nurses have an ethicalresponsibility to address these
determinants.
Our population health approachas nurses emphasizes systemic
(09:56):
advocacy.
This pushes for structuralchanges that improve health
outcomes for entire communities,especially those that are
historically marginalized.
All of our professionalorganizations and standards
incorporate ethical mandates toprotect and advocate for at-risk
groups within their guidelinesand certification standards.
(10:18):
You see this in all of ourstate boards of nursing and
oaths of licensing, andspecialty organizations and
institutional policies followsuit.
Hospitals, clinics, academicinstitutions they all often
align their own codes of conductwith broader nursing ethics,
reinforcing our mandate to serveand protect vulnerable patients
(10:41):
.
Across all these ethicalframeworks, one through line is
clear Nurses must serve as vocal, active advocates for their
patients, especially those whoface systemic disadvantages.
Upholding these ethicalmandates means confronting bias,
(11:03):
championing equity andcontinuously striving to create
a healthcare environment thathonors the dignity and rights of
every single individual.
Now, advocacy can be as simpleas simple daily activities, for
example, learning a patient'spronouns.
(11:25):
Now, I don't want to hear thatyou don't use pronouns.
You're a registered nurse, ahealthcare professional.
You are educated enough andintellectual enough to recognize
that we use pronouns everysingle day, in almost everything
(11:46):
we say.
If you use the words I, it, she, he, you, they, those are all
pronouns, and simplyunderstanding the use of
pronouns and how they're tied torespect for patients is such a
small act.
But if that's how you conductyourself in your professionalism
(12:10):
and your ethical obligationswith your patients, then that
sends them a very clear signalthat you have fidelity in your
nursing ethics and yourcommitment to equity in treating
them.
It does nothing and takes awaynothing from you to learn a
patient's chosen pronouns.
It absolutely does nothing toyou if your patient named Sally
(12:35):
wants to use the pronouns he,him, and that's how he's most
comfortable being addressed.
All that does is demonstrate tohim as a patient, that his
rights, his autonomy, hissovereignty as a person is
respected and valued by you as anurse, point blank.
(12:56):
There's still other subtle butconsistent steps that uphold
patient dignity and rights forthose who really don't enjoy
conflict and don't try to seekconflict out.
You don't have to be apolitical advocate or an
activist to do any of thesethings.
You just have to practice atthe top of your license and to
(13:18):
the top of your nursingprofessionalism and ethical and
your ethical duties andresponsibilities.
So the number one method ofhaving consistent steps that
uphold patient dignity is havingabsolute equity.
Treat every single patient nodifferently than you would treat
a VIP patient.
(13:39):
Every single one Same access,same treatments, same
consideration, same therapeuticapproach, same compassion and
empathy.
If you treat your patients withthat kind of equity and
professionalism, there's no roomfor bias or discrimination.
(14:00):
We have a historical legacy ofadvocacy.
This is just something that ispart of us as a nursing
profession From FlorenceNightingale.
Her public health reforms andreform in hospital conditions
benefited the underserved of herareas.
You have Lillian Wald and MaryBrewster.
They opened the Henry Streetsettlement in New York City.
(14:21):
They provided health care andeducation to immigrant and
impoverished communities.
Their work laid the groundworkfor public health nursing and
established a strong precedentfor serving those most in need.
Even activists like HarrietTubman and others.
Many historical figures whoperformed nursing duties,
officially or unofficially,specifically served marginalized
(14:44):
populations, reminding us thatnursing and nursing activities,
at their core, have always beenabout social justice and
equality, and through the ageswe have just continued to
advance that we have a coremandate to advocate.
From the earliest 20th centuryto modern era, nurses have
(15:04):
consistently been called touphold ethical principles that
protect our most vulnerablepatients.
This is not a new concept.
This is a long-establishedprofessional standard and it's
integrated into all of ourprofessional codes.
The American Nurses AssociationCode of Ethics has continuously
evolved to emphasize justice,respect and the reduction of
(15:27):
health disparities.
Even decades ago, these codesurged nurses to combat
discrimination in any form.
Self-work and self-awareness isjust part and parcel of our
professional responsibility.
Addressing your personal bias isa non-negotiable as a nurse.
We have to acknowledge that inthe past, societal biases often
(15:52):
overshadowed healthcare formarginalized groups.
However, us, as a nursingprofession, have grown in our
commitment to inclusion andequity.
The individual you can holdpersonal beliefs and
affiliations, but your personalbeliefs have no place in your
professional practice.
The professional role of anurse demands impartial,
(16:15):
equitable care for every singlepatient, regardless of race,
gender identity, sexualorientation or religious
affiliation, those of us thathave been practicing, that are
experienced, that are seasonednurses.
We have to recognize that, as anursing profession, we've
(16:35):
continued to evolve towardsgreater equity and equality, and
that maintaining personal biasat the bedside goes against the
very heritage of nursingadvocacy.
It goes against what we standfor.
We have to uphold traditionwhile evolving forward.
It is our stewardship and ourresponsibility to carry on the
(16:56):
legacy of those who foughtalready for inclusivity and
justice in both social arenasand in health care.
We have to pass the torch.
We have to encourage mentoringnewer generations with these
ethical principles in mind,learning from them their ability
to intersect these inherentlyimportant principles and aspects
(17:20):
, and ensuring that ourprofession continues to protect
the disadvantaged communitiesand marginalized populations.
We have shared accountability.
We are all responsible foreducating one another, for
challenging old biases andensuring that the next chapter
of nursing history is one markedby an unwavering commitment to
(17:41):
equity and equality, to equityand equality.
Now, I know that normally we'vealready hit our 15 minute break
and we're a few minutes over,but this episode, this episode,
is just that important.
So right now we are going totake a little bit of a break.
This is our pause point.
For those that have to returnto shift, I wish you the
(18:03):
quickest shift with the mostdelightful orders from your
residents and physicians and I'mnot going to say the keyword,
but we will see you when you aredone with shift or on your next
break.
For those that are going tostick around, just hang on for
the few seconds of musicalinterlude here Pause, go hydrate
, go get a cup of coffee,stretch, and we'll see you back
(18:28):
here very shortly.
All right, so welcome back.
Right now we're going to focuson you.
So we really kind of delved hardinto our common lifeline of
being nurses and what it meansto be a nurse.
(18:49):
But how do you do that rightnow?
That's a very real question.
How do we do that right now?
And one of the ways that weprotect our peace and protect
our mental health is by learninghow to set boundaries.
So there's kind of a stigmathat I've noticed on social
media lately and I don't know.
(19:09):
I don't know if it's a drivingneed for validation, I don't
know if it's a driving need forhuman connection and not feeling
alone because of theoverwhelming emotions and fear,
but there's a stigma that I'venoticed that if you're not loud
enough or active enough thatsomehow it indicates that you're
not doing enough or that you'venoticed that if you're not loud
enough or active enough, thatsomehow it indicates that you're
not doing enough or that you'vegiven up.
And nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.
(19:31):
If you don't protect your peaceand protect your mental health,
you can do nothing for others.
So why do these boundariesmatter?
These boundaries allow us, asnurses, to sustain our mental
health while performing in highstress situations and patient
care roles and being inenvironments of emotional
(19:54):
volatility.
Having personal limits helpsprevent burnout and compassion
fatigue, which are critical tothe success of doing what we do
as nurses, which are critical tothe success of doing what we do
as nurses.
How the heck do you setboundaries?
When it comes to the topic ofthe past week and a half and
everything happening on socialmedia, let me tell you so.
(20:15):
There's several different kindsof boundaries.
There's physical boundaries.
What does that mean?
That means knowing when to stepaway from workplace discussions
, family discussions, frienddiscussions or even social media
feeds when they becomeoverwhelming.
In episodes two and three, wewalked through some actual
routines, some actual practicesof becoming self-aware, of
(20:39):
setting intentional space sothat you can discover your
emotional state in the contextof what's affecting you and the
more that you practice that, themore you're able to discern
when you need to step away fromthese discussions or these
environments.
And that's setting a physicalboundary.
(21:00):
Affirm to yourself that whenyou find yourself in this
environment or these discussionsor social media feeds and
things start to becomeoverwhelming, you start to
notice those signs and signalsof that fight or flight response
the escalated heart rate,faster breathing rate, your
(21:20):
increased respirations, anxiety,clenched jaw, tense shoulders,
clenched hands, changes intemperature regulation.
You need to affirm for yourselfthat, as a physical boundary,
you're going to physicallyremove yourself from that
setting.
There's also emotionalboundaries.
So engaging in self check-ins,doing that intentional space
(21:46):
setting and self-awareness,journaling and especially
therapy to process difficultemotions, setting emotional
boundaries for yourself lookslike telling yourself, giving
yourself permission to expressthe emotions, to have the
emotions and observe anddescribe without judgment.
(22:09):
We listen without judging,especially to ourselves when it
comes to emotion.
Having an emotion is not wrong.
We have to decide what we dowith the emotion and what is the
most healthy response to thatemotion.
So set those emotionalboundaries for yourself that you
(22:40):
are going to check in withyourself in the morning before
shift.
You're going to check in withyourself mid shift or after the
shift, whatever it is that worksfor you to set that baseline
and ground yourself.
Another boundary is a digitalboundary.
Now, this one can be verydifficult, especially because
most of our generations parts ofGen X, zennials, millennials,
gen Z, those of us that are oldenough to be registered nurses
(23:01):
have an addiction to socialmedia, have an addiction to our
phones, have an addiction todoom scrolling I mean, it even
has a name for crying out loud.
So digital boundaries aresetting times of day that you
are absolutely disconnected,especially to the news and
social media.
To maintain your mental peaceNow, when you do this for
yourself depends on you.
It depends on your emotionalfortitude at the end of your
(23:26):
shift or prior to your shift.
It depends on where you work.
If you work somewhere with a lotof emotional volatility, you
want to have some blackout timezones before and after your
shift.
You want to have a period oftime before your shift that you
are not inundated with news andsocial media, because you want
to walk into your shift with asmuch resilience and equilibrium
(23:48):
as possible so that the exposureto secondary trauma, emotional
volatility, doesn't impact youas profoundly as it might if you
were already impacted byoverwhelm and news media feeds
(24:10):
and social media news mediafeeds and social media.
Or it could be after your shift.
If you've worked a really longshift and you're approaching
compassion fatigue, inundatingyourself with the news and
social media is the last thingyou need to do in order to
restore that sense of mentalhealth balance and protect your
peace.
So decide for yourself whatparts of the day, what times of
(24:33):
the day, you need to have theseblackout zones and disconnect
from news and social mediaduring those time periods.
Make that commitment toyourself to set these boundaries
.
You can stay informed withoutbeing inundated.
Okay, and it's very important asnurses that you are informed
First and foremost.
You are professional health,licensed healthcare
(24:55):
professionals.
Okay, you know what peerreviewed research is.
You know what unbiased sourcesof information are.
You know what they are.
So make sure that theinformation that you're getting
is not from an echo chamber, isnot from unverified sources, but
that you find the most unbiasedsource of information here in
(25:17):
the US that might be outside ofthe US To get your information
from.
In brief doses, to stayinformed about things that might
impact your ability to delivercare, that might impact your
patient's ability to access careor that might impact the
policies and protocols andprocedures of your workplace
(25:39):
environment.
You need to set specific times,like schedule, specific news,
check in times and tell yourfriends and family they're very
well meaning, but they'reseeking emotional validation and
reassurance and the need totrauma bond as well, and they're
going to inundate you with newslinks and stories and reels and
(26:03):
TikToks that are not in yourbest interest.
So you need to let them knowthat you have specific times
when you're going to be checkingin on news and if they have
something you know superimportant to communicate with
you about it, then that's thetime to do it, because you're
already engaged in looking atthe bias it's coming from.
(26:27):
If it's peer reviewed, if it'sevidence-based, is it reliable?
You know how to do this and youknow how to recognize those
sources.
The other thing I want toadvocate for, especially putting
you first and guarding againstoverwhelm and burnout and
compassion.
Fatigue is therapy.
So our professional colleagueshave in their wheelhouse
(26:50):
exposure to skill sets and toolsthat we as nurses do not, and
you do not have to disclose toanyone that you are seeking
professional help or that youare in therapy, and you should
seek counseling or therapy ifsetting these boundaries, if
(27:11):
overwhelm, if anxiety, if stress, if you're already at the point
where you've hit compassion,fatigue or burnout.
Because counseling and therapywith our professional colleagues
allows you to engage with skillsets and tools that we're
usually blind to because of ourtunnel vision and because of
(27:32):
lack of exposure, that help younavigate this emotional
minefield and the turmoil ofeverything that's going on.
So I highly advocate for mynurses to seek counseling and
therapy and invest in yourselftime with our professional
colleagues and their incredibleskill sets for your benefit.
(27:56):
One of the other things that'sreally helpful is that you have
a self-care toolkit.
Okay, so having an actual listof quick practices, like the
break room, breathing that wecovered I think it was in
episode three Guided meditations, short nature walks, other
somatic practices make a cheatsheet.
Make a cheat sheet, make a list, vocalize.
(28:18):
You know what you have in yourself-care toolkit that you know
can be really quick go-tos inthe elevator, when you're
transporting a patient in thecar, in.
You know the intentional spacethat you create for yourself in
the evening as part of yourevening ritual or routine or
your morning ritual routine,whatever it is.
(28:38):
Make sure that you havedifferent tools in your
self-care toolkit.
Episodes two and three are anexcellent source to start.
The self-care challenge on ourInstagram is a phenomenal place.
Grab one of those bingo cardsand see which one of those you
want to add to your toolkit.
And I also recommend mentalhealth apps.
There's there's mental healthapps from BetterHelp or yes,
(29:02):
betterhelp and Calm, and there'salso 988 here in the United
States if you need urgentsupport, that are immensely
helpful.
We're not sponsored by any ofthese things.
These are these are just.
These are just tools that areout there that we're not
sponsored by any of these things.
These are just tools that areout there that I'm aware of.
And I also encourage you toform or join supportive
communities.
Stay connected with the codeteam, share our podcast, listen
(29:24):
to our podcast with other nursesand friends.
Practice the techniques,practice the breath, work the
somatic tips, the journaling,some of the self-care ideas with
each other.
The one thing I'm going tocaution you against is joining a
community for the purpose oftrauma bonding.
That is just going to lead tofurther emotional overwhelm
(29:49):
because you're taking on all ofthe emotional needs and trauma
bonding trends, of being in anecho chamber of, and it's very
valid that people are seekingemotional ease, they're seeking
validation, connection, butthat's not going to help you
practice to the top of yourability.
So if you're going to form asupport group or join a support
(30:12):
group, make sure that they'reactively engaged in support and
not trauma bonding.
Online forums, local nursemeetups, professional
organizations, like I said, thecode team itself, our community
make sure that they are activelyengaged in supportive practices
, in healing practices, and notin trauma bonding or emotional
(30:37):
volatility.
But peer support is justimmensely, immensely helpful
right now in navigatingemotionally heavy times.
Forge connection with your peers.
An excellent thing to do wouldbe to listen to the podcast with
peers and and discuss whichmethods work.
Try the methods together.
(30:57):
Do grounding breath worktogether?
The break room breathing methodis there's the box breathing
and there's the 478 breathing.
You can do that together.
You can do it in the elevator,you can do it in the car, you
can do it in the car, you can doit in the break room, you can
do it on your couch with somesnacks and just spend quality
time with your peers andcolleagues, with trusted friends
(31:22):
and significant others,actually prioritizing protecting
your peace and protecting yourmental health.
You have to prioritize yourselffirst.
Create some personal ritualsthat are going to ground
yourself before or after yourshift.
Again, the self-care challengeon our Instagram I think it's
pinned as one of the highlights.
The DBY method is also pinnedas one of the highlights.
(31:46):
You can use either of those toget yourself started to create
personal rituals that ground youbefore and after your stressful
shifts.
That is just inherentlyimportant in being able to stay
in equilibrium to maintain yourresilience.
Those are actionable, freeresources that you can utilize
(32:11):
in protecting your peace and inprotecting your mental health.
So I know this was a really deepepisode.
You had to wait longer for thefirst 15 minute break and we're
probably going to go over ournormal 30 minutes, but not by
much.
We have to include our favoritesegment, coffee Crystals and
Divinations just my favoritepart of the episodes and we need
(32:33):
it more than ever for this week, most definitely so when it
comes to our coffee chat part.
So this week it's all abouthydration, point blank.
What I really want is for youto tell me in the comments on
Instagram or the podcast itselfwhat your favorite go-to is for
hydration.
Like, what water recipes do youabsolutely love?
(32:53):
Now, don't tell me that this isso last year, because let me
tell you something I am allabout doing whatever sparks joy,
and if it's a flavored waterwith no sugar or just the
tiniest bit, I am so here for it.
Hydration comes in many formsand this is one simple, small
way to just give yourselfsomething fun, a treat.
Even Get a fun tumbler and makethe drink.
(33:15):
For me, it's the zero caloriemango tangerine sparkling water.
With a pump or two of sourcandy flavor the Tarani kind,
fresh lemon or lime juice and ahealthy amount of ice.
I can get 20 ounces of thatdown in minutes.
For the naysayers, guess what?
So carbonated water is justwater, and also research has
(33:37):
shown that it does not leachanything out of your bones.
Is plain water the best, ofcourse?
Is it going to spark joy?
Probably not.
So do you a favor and come upwith a delicious recipe that's
super light on sugar but huge onthe flavor.
Just give yourself a littlesomething to smile about right
now.
Like I said, things that sparkjoy.
(33:58):
You just need continuous littlesparks here and there.
Those are the kinds of thingsthat really sustain you on those
long shifts, the little smiles,the little sparks of joy.
However, okay, if it's freezingand gross where you are and the
thought of an ice cold bev isnot the vibe, then may I suggest
aromatic teas combined with,like a fruit extract and
(34:22):
aromatic honey.
Now what the heck is aromatichoney?
You say?
Aromatic honey is honey that ismade from wildflowers or things
like lavender that have a mildflavor, but they have a perfumed
or aromatic essence.
So this is going to go heavy onthe spark joy vibe and it's
also going to still be a healthychoice while hydrating you, and
it's also going to provide thatwarm, soothing comfort that you
(34:44):
want if things are freezing andgross where you are like they
are here where I live.
So I would love a cup of lemonzinger tea, some wildflower
honey and some peach extract ornectarine.
If fruit really isn't kind ofyour thing, you could do a
spiced tea and add just a touchof oat milk for a creamy
alternative to a latte.
(35:06):
Let me know if any of theserecipes take off for you.
Let me know in the comments andthe IG, the comments on the
podcast.
You can also text me,especially if any of you have
some incredible water recipesout there, hit your girl up.
There's a link on the top ofthe podcast notes.
You can click it and you canjust text right to me we're
(35:27):
going to do our Oracledivination to see what crystal
we're going to work with, ourOracle divination to see what
crystal we're going to work withthis week.
And we're going to see,especially given the week that
we've had, what the Oracle deckhas to say about what crystal we
should be carrying forprotection or for inspiration.
(35:48):
And it looks like this one isLarimar.
So Larimar again I think Idiscussed this in the last
podcast.
I'm pretty much a shapeshifterbetween a mermaid and a black
cat, but Larimar is one of mymost loved minerals because
Larimar to me looks like a sliceof the ocean.
The color blue and the whiteripples through it actually look
(36:12):
like sunlight reflecting inlike ocean water.
So Larimar signifies purify inthis deck and the picture is
just the most gorgeous pictureof waves and a mermaid or whale,
a tail with the Larimar stoneon it.
A tale with the Larimar stoneon it.
(36:32):
And let's read a little bitabout what Larimar signifies.
Now you may be wondering ifI've been doing tarot for this
long, like why am I still usingthe book.
I advocate that you always usethe book that the artist
included with what they designed, even if you are an intuitive
reader, even if you've beenreading for decades, like I have
, and you know the cards insideand out, because when the artist
(36:55):
created the deck, theinspiration that caused them to
create that deck usually has alot to do with the
interpretations and informationthat they include with it.
So I always love seeing wherethe artist was coming from when
they created just such abeautiful, inspired image.
And for Larimar, it'stranquility, healing and renewed
(37:20):
outlook.
Like I said I've said this manytimes the divination draws for
this podcast.
I'm going to have to startdoing on camera because they're
usually so on point.
I couldn't have planned it if Itried.
This says dive into the depthsof tranquility with the
purifying magic of Larimar, asyou banish negativity, cleanse
(37:42):
your aura and refresh your soul.
Let go of what no longer servesyou, find your center and
emerge from the depths with arenewed outlook that sparkles
with positivity.
That couldn't be more on pointfor what we need right now.
That's incredible.
The card is absolutelybeautiful.
(38:03):
If you don't have Larimar,appetite is a great stone that
has similar properties and evenlooks the same.
Blue calcite is another onethat can often be mistaken for.
Larimar, tourmaline andobsidian are more commonly.
You're able to access those andthose are great stones for
(38:24):
dealing with negative energy.
And again, I know for some ofyou this is a little woo-woo,
but you know, if you think aboutit, especially in the quantum
physics sense of thinking aboutthings, energy is a constant and
we know, as highly educatednurses and healthcare
professionals, that there aresome things that science just
(38:46):
can't explain.
And if carrying around a sliceof what looks like the most
beautiful tropical ocean in yourpocket helps remind you to let
go of what doesn't serve you andfind your center and sink into
that imagery of that beautifulocean and protect your peace,
(39:09):
well then I'd say, even ifscience has a little bit of a
way to go to explain the woo-woopart of it, it doesn't really
matter because we know it stillworks.
The next thing we're going to dois our tarot divination.
So we need to see what ourcollective guidance for the week
is and what the tarot deck hasto tell us.
(39:31):
And this deck I'm still usingthe crystal struck tarot deck by
Moonstruck Crystals.
I did put a picture up on IG,like I said I would, if you want
to take a look at it.
And this week is the seven ofpentacles.
This is optical calcite and itis absolutely gorgeous.
I don't know if you've everseen optical calcite and it is
absolutely gorgeous.
I don't know if you've everseen optical calcite, but it is
(39:54):
clear and usually has a rainbowhue and the seven of pentacles.
Oh, my Perseverance, growth andhard labor.
Optical calcite is a stone ofgrowth manifestation and it
amplifies positive energy.
You are almost there.
You've been putting in the workand your successful roots are
(40:16):
showing.
The efforts you've been puttingin are beginning to manifest in
your life and things aregrowing well.
Be patient and keep up the goodwork.
Now I know at first hearing it'skind of like how is that
connected to the past week and ahalf?
It is because nursing over thedecades has continued to hold
(40:37):
the line and continued to growand we've established roots in
equity and equality and the workisn't over, but we've done so
much hard work that right now,right now, is when our unity and
common ground as nurses reallyshows the fruits of its labor,
(40:57):
as we protect our patients and,most importantly, as you protect
yourself, as you protect yourpeace and you protect your
mental health.
If you don't put you first, youwon't be able to take care of
anyone anywhere else.
So this podcast was definitelya heavy podcast, I know, and I
(41:21):
just want to extend a reallyheartfelt thank you for sticking
with us and for listening.
I want to extend a heartfeltthank you for being my colleague
as a nurse during thesechallenging times.
I wouldn't want to do it withthank you for being my colleague
as a nurse during thesechallenging times.
I wouldn't want to do it with abetter group of people, and I
want to remind you that you'renot alone.
Together, we, as nurses, cancreate safer, more inclusive
(41:43):
spaces for all of our patientsand for each other.
These populations that areaffected by what's been going on
are not just reflected in ourpatients, but they are directly
reflected in each other, and weare all nurses.
That is our one commonality.
Across every other aspect ofour lives that we share is that
(42:05):
we are all nurses.
So I just want to thank you.
I want to encourage you to putyourself first.
I want to encourage you toprioritize your peace, to
prioritize your mental healthand take care of yourself,
because if you don't, we can'ttake care of anybody else.
I love your faces and I willtalk to you next week.
(42:26):
This is your ritual nurse Reva,thanks for tuning in to the
Ritual Nurse Podcast.
You can find us wherever youlisten to podcasts.
This is your ritual nurse, reva, thanks for tuning in to the
Ritual Nurse Podcast.
You can find us wherever youlisten to podcasts, so don't
forget to subscribe and stayconnected For all our social
links free education classes,blogs and podcast notes with
resources head over to tcthorg.
(42:48):
Until next time, love yourfaces.
Welcome to the Ritual Nurse, where healing meets
humor, science and a touch ofmagic.
Hi, welcome back to the RitualNurse podcast.
This is Reva, your Ritual Nurseand the host of the podcast.
In last week's episode, wetalked about the science behind
why the methods that I'm givingyou works, and it's going to be
(00:35):
more important than ever thatyou understand the science
behind why it works and the factthat it does, because all of
those methods are going to bereally, really important in the
time ahead.
So this is episode five, andwell, we're going to do a
reality check.
A lot has happened in betweennow and when I recorded episode
(00:57):
four.
So, in all honesty, I recordedepisode four probably a good
week before it launched, and inbetween episode four launching
and now, there's been somereally significant changes,
especially for those of usnurses in the United States.
So we're going to take a lookat it Now.
I'm not going to rehasheverything that has occurred and
(01:21):
list everything off, notbecause I don't want to.
I am actually a very vocaladvocate.
However, it's because in everyother form of social media
surrounding you, you've beenbombarded by it over and over
and over again, and that's notwhat we're going to do in this
podcast.
In this podcast, we're actuallygoing to reaffirm a few things.
(01:44):
We are going to reestablishthat common ground that we have
as nurses and we're going todiscuss some very real, very
tangible ways to protect ourpeace and to protect our mental
health.
So one of the things that we dohave to talk about is we got to
(02:07):
do a reality check.
We're going to talk aboutwhat's happening and why it
matters to us as nurses.
So there have been quite anumber of things really kind of
a deluge of things coming downthat are impacting healthcare
and impacting populations,especially for our Black,
indigenous, people of color, ourLGBTQIA+ and especially our
(02:30):
transgender patients.
Now, regardless of yourpolitical or otherwise,
affiliations, perspectives orbeliefs, our one common ground
that all of us share is thatwe're nurses and, in that regard
and in that respect, ourpatients are our patients.
(02:51):
So the nurse to patienttherapeutic relationship comes
with professional and ethicalresponsibilities and boundaries,
and that level playing field iswhat we're here to reaffirm,
because these political andsocial issues directly affect
and impact our patient careenvironments, patients' access
(03:16):
to care, the quality of careavailable to patients, and in
many cases, they actually denypatients medical care and in
many cases, they actually denypatients medical care.
So in nursing, we have always,always dealt with systemic
(03:37):
barriers in healthcare, socialdeterminants of health,
socioeconomic statuses and thesystemic barriers in healthcare,
like racism, transphobia andother forms of oppression.
They show up insidiously inhealthcare and everything from
implicit bias to outright denialof medical care at both a
policy and insurance statutelevel, statuette level.
(04:09):
Now, for some nurses, politicaladvocacy is something that they
enjoy and that they engage in,and for others they don't, and
both are okay.
So in the show notes and on thewebsite, I am going to have a
list of resources andorganizations that those of you
who do engage in politicaladvocacy and action can get more
information, can connect with,find intersection with.
(04:31):
And if that's not you as anurse and you don't want to
engage in political advocacy inthat level, that's okay.
We're going to continue talkingabout what we do as nurses and
where that commonality lies, andit doesn't have to involve
conflict, so that's okay, nomatter which type of nurse you
(04:54):
are.
In that regard, either of themare okay.
To acknowledge, however, is ouremotions.
So right now, regardless ofyour perception, regardless of
your affiliation, so many of youare feeling frustration, are
(05:15):
feeling fear, you're scared, arefeeling anger, and so many of
us are experiencing just a vastarray of emotions, strong and
deep emotions, and they're valid.
Every single one of theemotions that you are feeling
(05:36):
are completely valid.
This is a challenging andheartbreaking time, no matter
what your perspective ischallenging and heartbreaking
time, no matter what yourperspective is.
It doesn't even matter whetheryou're in the United States or
not.
This is a challenging andheartbreaking time.
And your feelings, every singleemotion, is valid.
And nurses, well, we've alwaysbeen the frontline advocates for
(06:02):
patient well-being and safety.
Nurses have always beenassociated with therapeutic
well-being.
This is connected to all of ourcore nursing values and ethics.
Now, speaking of our ethics, I'mgoing to refresh our memory a
little when it comes to nursing,professional responsibility and
(06:24):
our ethical duty.
So the American NursesAssociation, the ANA Code of
Ethics, has several provisionsthat discuss this, and provision
one is a respect for humandignity.
Nurses practice with compassionand respect for every person's
intrinsic worth, regardless ofbackground or status.
(06:45):
Provision two it's a commitmentto the patient.
Nurses' primary commitment isto the patient, requiring nurses
to safeguard patients' rightsand interests, including and
especially those of vulnerablepopulations.
Provision three advocacy andprotection.
(07:06):
Nurses promote, advocate forand protect the health, safety
and rights of the patient.
This provision explicitlyaddresses the nurse's role in
mitigating harm and advocatingfor equitable care.
I've said this so many timesyou can have all the fancy mouth
(07:27):
words you want about equality,but if you don't have equity it
means nothing.
Provision eight iscollaboration for human rights
and health diplomacy.
This provision encouragesnurses to collaborate with other
healthcare professionals andthe public to address social,
economic and environmentaldeterminants of health, aiming
(07:51):
directly to reduce disparitiesand uphold social justice.
The International Council ofNurses, the ICN Code of Ethics
standard, nurses and people.
This stipulates that nursesrespect human rights, including
cultural rights, and the rightto life and choice, and that we
(08:11):
provide care without prejudice.
Nurses and the profession.
This standard calls on nursesto sustain the values of the
profession through advocacy andleadership in shaping social and
health policies that promoteequitable care.
We have principle-basedbioethics.
(08:32):
This was first voiced by BoChamp and Childress in 1979, and
it's been revised repeatedlysince then, just strengthening
each one of these principles.
They'll be very familiar to you, I think.
Autonomy, recognizing eachpatient's right to
(08:52):
self-determination, whichincludes advocating for
marginalized individuals whoseautonomy might be undermined by
systemic barriers.
Beneficence and non-maleficence.
This requires nurses to act inthe best interest of patients
and avoid causing harm,particularly important for those
at risk due to discriminationor inadequate access to care and
(09:13):
justice.
This demands fairness indistributing resources and care.
This principle underscores theduty to address health
inequities and advocate forpolicies that protect vulnerable
populations.
All of our frameworks involvesocial determinants of health
(09:34):
social justice, health equity.
We recognize that factors likesocioeconomic status, race,
gender identity and immigrationstatus directly affect our
patients' access to care.
Nurses have an ethicalresponsibility to address these
determinants.
Our population health approachas nurses emphasizes systemic
(09:56):
advocacy.
This pushes for structuralchanges that improve health
outcomes for entire communities,especially those that are
historically marginalized.
All of our professionalorganizations and standards
incorporate ethical mandates toprotect and advocate for at-risk
groups within their guidelinesand certification standards.
(10:18):
You see this in all of ourstate boards of nursing and
oaths of licensing, andspecialty organizations and
institutional policies followsuit.
Hospitals, clinics, academicinstitutions they all often
align their own codes of conductwith broader nursing ethics,
reinforcing our mandate to serveand protect vulnerable patients
(10:41):
.
Across all these ethicalframeworks, one through line is
clear Nurses must serve as vocal, active advocates for their
patients, especially those whoface systemic disadvantages.
Upholding these ethicalmandates means confronting bias,
(11:03):
championing equity andcontinuously striving to create
a healthcare environment thathonors the dignity and rights of
every single individual.
Now, advocacy can be as simpleas simple daily activities, for
example, learning a patient'spronouns.
(11:25):
Now, I don't want to hear thatyou don't use pronouns.
You're a registered nurse, ahealthcare professional.
You are educated enough andintellectual enough to recognize
that we use pronouns everysingle day, in almost everything
(11:46):
we say.
If you use the words I, it, she, he, you, they, those are all
pronouns, and simplyunderstanding the use of
pronouns and how they're tied torespect for patients is such a
small act.
But if that's how you conductyourself in your professionalism
(12:10):
and your ethical obligationswith your patients, then that
sends them a very clear signalthat you have fidelity in your
nursing ethics and yourcommitment to equity in treating
them.
It does nothing and takes awaynothing from you to learn a
patient's chosen pronouns.
It absolutely does nothing toyou if your patient named Sally
(12:35):
wants to use the pronouns he,him, and that's how he's most
comfortable being addressed.
All that does is demonstrate tohim as a patient, that his
rights, his autonomy, hissovereignty as a person is
respected and valued by you as anurse, point blank.
(12:56):
There's still other subtle butconsistent steps that uphold
patient dignity and rights forthose who really don't enjoy
conflict and don't try to seekconflict out.
You don't have to be apolitical advocate or an
activist to do any of thesethings.
You just have to practice atthe top of your license and to
(13:18):
the top of your nursingprofessionalism and ethical and
your ethical duties andresponsibilities.
So the number one method ofhaving consistent steps that
uphold patient dignity is havingabsolute equity.
Treat every single patient nodifferently than you would treat
a VIP patient.
(13:39):
Every single one Same access,same treatments, same
consideration, same therapeuticapproach, same compassion and
empathy.
If you treat your patients withthat kind of equity and
professionalism, there's no roomfor bias or discrimination.
(14:00):
We have a historical legacy ofadvocacy.
This is just something that ispart of us as a nursing
profession From FlorenceNightingale.
Her public health reforms andreform in hospital conditions
benefited the underserved of herareas.
You have Lillian Wald and MaryBrewster.
They opened the Henry Streetsettlement in New York City.
(14:21):
They provided health care andeducation to immigrant and
impoverished communities.
Their work laid the groundworkfor public health nursing and
established a strong precedentfor serving those most in need.
Even activists like HarrietTubman and others.
Many historical figures whoperformed nursing duties,
officially or unofficially,specifically served marginalized
(14:44):
populations, reminding us thatnursing and nursing activities,
at their core, have always beenabout social justice and
equality, and through the ageswe have just continued to
advance that we have a coremandate to advocate.
From the earliest 20th centuryto modern era, nurses have
(15:04):
consistently been called touphold ethical principles that
protect our most vulnerablepatients.
This is not a new concept.
This is a long-establishedprofessional standard and it's
integrated into all of ourprofessional codes.
The American Nurses AssociationCode of Ethics has continuously
evolved to emphasize justice,respect and the reduction of
(15:27):
health disparities.
Even decades ago, these codesurged nurses to combat
discrimination in any form.
Self-work and self-awareness isjust part and parcel of our
professional responsibility.
Addressing your personal bias isa non-negotiable as a nurse.
We have to acknowledge that inthe past, societal biases often
(15:52):
overshadowed healthcare formarginalized groups.
However, us, as a nursingprofession, have grown in our
commitment to inclusion andequity.
The individual you can holdpersonal beliefs and
affiliations, but your personalbeliefs have no place in your
professional practice.
The professional role of anurse demands impartial,
(16:15):
equitable care for every singlepatient, regardless of race,
gender identity, sexualorientation or religious
affiliation, those of us thathave been practicing, that are
experienced, that are seasonednurses.
We have to recognize that, as anursing profession, we've
(16:35):
continued to evolve towardsgreater equity and equality, and
that maintaining personal biasat the bedside goes against the
very heritage of nursingadvocacy.
It goes against what we standfor.
We have to uphold traditionwhile evolving forward.
It is our stewardship and ourresponsibility to carry on the
(16:56):
legacy of those who foughtalready for inclusivity and
justice in both social arenasand in health care.
We have to pass the torch.
We have to encourage mentoringnewer generations with these
ethical principles in mind,learning from them their ability
to intersect these inherentlyimportant principles and aspects
(17:20):
, and ensuring that ourprofession continues to protect
the disadvantaged communitiesand marginalized populations.
We have shared accountability.
We are all responsible foreducating one another, for
challenging old biases andensuring that the next chapter
of nursing history is one markedby an unwavering commitment to
(17:41):
equity and equality, to equityand equality.
Now, I know that normally we'vealready hit our 15 minute break
and we're a few minutes over,but this episode, this episode,
is just that important.
So right now we are going totake a little bit of a break.
This is our pause point.
For those that have to returnto shift, I wish you the
(18:03):
quickest shift with the mostdelightful orders from your
residents and physicians and I'mnot going to say the keyword,
but we will see you when you aredone with shift or on your next
break.
For those that are going tostick around, just hang on for
the few seconds of musicalinterlude here Pause, go hydrate
, go get a cup of coffee,stretch, and we'll see you back
(18:28):
here very shortly.
All right, so welcome back.
Right now we're going to focuson you.
So we really kind of delved hardinto our common lifeline of
being nurses and what it meansto be a nurse.
(18:49):
But how do you do that rightnow?
That's a very real question.
How do we do that right now?
And one of the ways that weprotect our peace and protect
our mental health is by learninghow to set boundaries.
So there's kind of a stigmathat I've noticed on social
media lately and I don't know.
(19:09):
I don't know if it's a drivingneed for validation, I don't
know if it's a driving need forhuman connection and not feeling
alone because of theoverwhelming emotions and fear,
but there's a stigma that I'venoticed that if you're not loud
enough or active enough thatsomehow it indicates that you're
not doing enough or that you'venoticed that if you're not loud
enough or active enough, thatsomehow it indicates that you're
not doing enough or that you'vegiven up.
And nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.
(19:31):
If you don't protect your peaceand protect your mental health,
you can do nothing for others.
So why do these boundariesmatter?
These boundaries allow us, asnurses, to sustain our mental
health while performing in highstress situations and patient
care roles and being inenvironments of emotional
(19:54):
volatility.
Having personal limits helpsprevent burnout and compassion
fatigue, which are critical tothe success of doing what we do
as nurses, which are critical tothe success of doing what we do
as nurses.
How the heck do you setboundaries?
When it comes to the topic ofthe past week and a half and
everything happening on socialmedia, let me tell you so.
(20:15):
There's several different kindsof boundaries.
There's physical boundaries.
What does that mean?
That means knowing when to stepaway from workplace discussions
, family discussions, frienddiscussions or even social media
feeds when they becomeoverwhelming.
In episodes two and three, wewalked through some actual
routines, some actual practicesof becoming self-aware, of
(20:39):
setting intentional space sothat you can discover your
emotional state in the contextof what's affecting you and the
more that you practice that, themore you're able to discern
when you need to step away fromthese discussions or these
environments.
And that's setting a physicalboundary.
(21:00):
Affirm to yourself that whenyou find yourself in this
environment or these discussionsor social media feeds and
things start to becomeoverwhelming, you start to
notice those signs and signalsof that fight or flight response
the escalated heart rate,faster breathing rate, your
(21:20):
increased respirations, anxiety,clenched jaw, tense shoulders,
clenched hands, changes intemperature regulation.
You need to affirm for yourselfthat, as a physical boundary,
you're going to physicallyremove yourself from that
setting.
There's also emotionalboundaries.
So engaging in self check-ins,doing that intentional space
(21:46):
setting and self-awareness,journaling and especially
therapy to process difficultemotions, setting emotional
boundaries for yourself lookslike telling yourself, giving
yourself permission to expressthe emotions, to have the
emotions and observe anddescribe without judgment.
(22:09):
We listen without judging,especially to ourselves when it
comes to emotion.
Having an emotion is not wrong.
We have to decide what we dowith the emotion and what is the
most healthy response to thatemotion.
So set those emotionalboundaries for yourself that you
(22:40):
are going to check in withyourself in the morning before
shift.
You're going to check in withyourself mid shift or after the
shift, whatever it is that worksfor you to set that baseline
and ground yourself.
Another boundary is a digitalboundary.
Now, this one can be verydifficult, especially because
most of our generations parts ofGen X, zennials, millennials,
gen Z, those of us that are oldenough to be registered nurses
(23:01):
have an addiction to socialmedia, have an addiction to our
phones, have an addiction todoom scrolling I mean, it even
has a name for crying out loud.
So digital boundaries aresetting times of day that you
are absolutely disconnected,especially to the news and
social media.
To maintain your mental peaceNow, when you do this for
yourself depends on you.
It depends on your emotionalfortitude at the end of your
(23:26):
shift or prior to your shift.
It depends on where you work.
If you work somewhere with a lotof emotional volatility, you
want to have some blackout timezones before and after your
shift.
You want to have a period oftime before your shift that you
are not inundated with news andsocial media, because you want
to walk into your shift with asmuch resilience and equilibrium
(23:48):
as possible so that the exposureto secondary trauma, emotional
volatility, doesn't impact youas profoundly as it might if you
were already impacted byoverwhelm and news media feeds
(24:10):
and social media news mediafeeds and social media.
Or it could be after your shift.
If you've worked a really longshift and you're approaching
compassion fatigue, inundatingyourself with the news and
social media is the last thingyou need to do in order to
restore that sense of mentalhealth balance and protect your
peace.
So decide for yourself whatparts of the day, what times of
(24:33):
the day, you need to have theseblackout zones and disconnect
from news and social mediaduring those time periods.
Make that commitment toyourself to set these boundaries
.
You can stay informed withoutbeing inundated.
Okay, and it's very important asnurses that you are informed
First and foremost.
You are professional health,licensed healthcare
(24:55):
professionals.
Okay, you know what peerreviewed research is.
You know what unbiased sourcesof information are.
You know what they are.
So make sure that theinformation that you're getting
is not from an echo chamber, isnot from unverified sources, but
that you find the most unbiasedsource of information here in
(25:17):
the US that might be outside ofthe US To get your information
from.
In brief doses, to stayinformed about things that might
impact your ability to delivercare, that might impact your
patient's ability to access careor that might impact the
policies and protocols andprocedures of your workplace
(25:39):
environment.
You need to set specific times,like schedule, specific news,
check in times and tell yourfriends and family they're very
well meaning, but they'reseeking emotional validation and
reassurance and the need totrauma bond as well, and they're
going to inundate you with newslinks and stories and reels and
(26:03):
TikToks that are not in yourbest interest.
So you need to let them knowthat you have specific times
when you're going to be checkingin on news and if they have
something you know superimportant to communicate with
you about it, then that's thetime to do it, because you're
already engaged in looking atthe bias it's coming from.
(26:27):
If it's peer reviewed, if it'sevidence-based, is it reliable?
You know how to do this and youknow how to recognize those
sources.
The other thing I want toadvocate for, especially putting
you first and guarding againstoverwhelm and burnout and
compassion.
Fatigue is therapy.
So our professional colleagueshave in their wheelhouse
(26:50):
exposure to skill sets and toolsthat we as nurses do not, and
you do not have to disclose toanyone that you are seeking
professional help or that youare in therapy, and you should
seek counseling or therapy ifsetting these boundaries, if
(27:11):
overwhelm, if anxiety, if stress, if you're already at the point
where you've hit compassion,fatigue or burnout.
Because counseling and therapywith our professional colleagues
allows you to engage with skillsets and tools that we're
usually blind to because of ourtunnel vision and because of
(27:32):
lack of exposure, that help younavigate this emotional
minefield and the turmoil ofeverything that's going on.
So I highly advocate for mynurses to seek counseling and
therapy and invest in yourselftime with our professional
colleagues and their incredibleskill sets for your benefit.
(27:56):
One of the other things that'sreally helpful is that you have
a self-care toolkit.
Okay, so having an actual listof quick practices, like the
break room, breathing that wecovered I think it was in
episode three Guided meditations, short nature walks, other
somatic practices make a cheatsheet.
Make a cheat sheet, make a list, vocalize.
(28:18):
You know what you have in yourself-care toolkit that you know
can be really quick go-tos inthe elevator, when you're
transporting a patient in thecar, in.
You know the intentional spacethat you create for yourself in
the evening as part of yourevening ritual or routine or
your morning ritual routine,whatever it is.
(28:38):
Make sure that you havedifferent tools in your
self-care toolkit.
Episodes two and three are anexcellent source to start.
The self-care challenge on ourInstagram is a phenomenal place.
Grab one of those bingo cardsand see which one of those you
want to add to your toolkit.
And I also recommend mentalhealth apps.
There's there's mental healthapps from BetterHelp or yes,
(29:02):
betterhelp and Calm, and there'salso 988 here in the United
States if you need urgentsupport, that are immensely
helpful.
We're not sponsored by any ofthese things.
These are these are just.
These are just tools that areout there that we're not
sponsored by any of these things.
These are just tools that areout there that I'm aware of.
And I also encourage you toform or join supportive
communities.
Stay connected with the codeteam, share our podcast, listen
(29:24):
to our podcast with other nursesand friends.
Practice the techniques,practice the breath, work the
somatic tips, the journaling,some of the self-care ideas with
each other.
The one thing I'm going tocaution you against is joining a
community for the purpose oftrauma bonding.
That is just going to lead tofurther emotional overwhelm
(29:49):
because you're taking on all ofthe emotional needs and trauma
bonding trends, of being in anecho chamber of, and it's very
valid that people are seekingemotional ease, they're seeking
validation, connection, butthat's not going to help you
practice to the top of yourability.
So if you're going to form asupport group or join a support
(30:12):
group, make sure that they'reactively engaged in support and
not trauma bonding.
Online forums, local nursemeetups, professional
organizations, like I said, thecode team itself, our community
make sure that they are activelyengaged in supportive practices
, in healing practices, and notin trauma bonding or emotional
(30:37):
volatility.
But peer support is justimmensely, immensely helpful
right now in navigatingemotionally heavy times.
Forge connection with your peers.
An excellent thing to do wouldbe to listen to the podcast with
peers and and discuss whichmethods work.
Try the methods together.
(30:57):
Do grounding breath worktogether?
The break room breathing methodis there's the box breathing
and there's the 478 breathing.
You can do that together.
You can do it in the elevator,you can do it in the car, you
can do it in the car, you can doit in the break room, you can
do it on your couch with somesnacks and just spend quality
time with your peers andcolleagues, with trusted friends
(31:22):
and significant others,actually prioritizing protecting
your peace and protecting yourmental health.
You have to prioritize yourselffirst.
Create some personal ritualsthat are going to ground
yourself before or after yourshift.
Again, the self-care challengeon our Instagram I think it's
pinned as one of the highlights.
The DBY method is also pinnedas one of the highlights.
(31:46):
You can use either of those toget yourself started to create
personal rituals that ground youbefore and after your stressful
shifts.
That is just inherentlyimportant in being able to stay
in equilibrium to maintain yourresilience.
Those are actionable, freeresources that you can utilize
(32:11):
in protecting your peace and inprotecting your mental health.
So I know this was a really deepepisode.
You had to wait longer for thefirst 15 minute break and we're
probably going to go over ournormal 30 minutes, but not by
much.
We have to include our favoritesegment, coffee Crystals and
Divinations just my favoritepart of the episodes and we need
(32:33):
it more than ever for this week, most definitely so when it
comes to our coffee chat part.
So this week it's all abouthydration, point blank.
What I really want is for youto tell me in the comments on
Instagram or the podcast itselfwhat your favorite go-to is for
hydration.
Like, what water recipes do youabsolutely love?
(32:53):
Now, don't tell me that this isso last year, because let me
tell you something I am allabout doing whatever sparks joy,
and if it's a flavored waterwith no sugar or just the
tiniest bit, I am so here for it.
Hydration comes in many formsand this is one simple, small
way to just give yourselfsomething fun, a treat.
Even Get a fun tumbler and makethe drink.
(33:15):
For me, it's the zero caloriemango tangerine sparkling water.
With a pump or two of sourcandy flavor the Tarani kind,
fresh lemon or lime juice and ahealthy amount of ice.
I can get 20 ounces of thatdown in minutes.
For the naysayers, guess what?
So carbonated water is justwater, and also research has
(33:37):
shown that it does not leachanything out of your bones.
Is plain water the best, ofcourse?
Is it going to spark joy?
Probably not.
So do you a favor and come upwith a delicious recipe that's
super light on sugar but huge onthe flavor.
Just give yourself a littlesomething to smile about right
now.
Like I said, things that sparkjoy.
(33:58):
You just need continuous littlesparks here and there.
Those are the kinds of thingsthat really sustain you on those
long shifts, the little smiles,the little sparks of joy.
However, okay, if it's freezingand gross where you are and the
thought of an ice cold bev isnot the vibe, then may I suggest
aromatic teas combined with,like a fruit extract and
(34:22):
aromatic honey.
Now what the heck is aromatichoney?
You say?
Aromatic honey is honey that ismade from wildflowers or things
like lavender that have a mildflavor, but they have a perfumed
or aromatic essence.
So this is going to go heavy onthe spark joy vibe and it's
also going to still be a healthychoice while hydrating you, and
it's also going to provide thatwarm, soothing comfort that you
(34:44):
want if things are freezing andgross where you are like they
are here where I live.
So I would love a cup of lemonzinger tea, some wildflower
honey and some peach extract ornectarine.
If fruit really isn't kind ofyour thing, you could do a
spiced tea and add just a touchof oat milk for a creamy
alternative to a latte.
(35:06):
Let me know if any of theserecipes take off for you.
Let me know in the comments andthe IG, the comments on the
podcast.
You can also text me,especially if any of you have
some incredible water recipesout there, hit your girl up.
There's a link on the top ofthe podcast notes.
You can click it and you canjust text right to me we're
(35:27):
going to do our Oracledivination to see what crystal
we're going to work with, ourOracle divination to see what
crystal we're going to work withthis week.
And we're going to see,especially given the week that
we've had, what the Oracle deckhas to say about what crystal we
should be carrying forprotection or for inspiration.
(35:48):
And it looks like this one isLarimar.
So Larimar again I think Idiscussed this in the last
podcast.
I'm pretty much a shapeshifterbetween a mermaid and a black
cat, but Larimar is one of mymost loved minerals because
Larimar to me looks like a sliceof the ocean.
The color blue and the whiteripples through it actually look
(36:12):
like sunlight reflecting inlike ocean water.
So Larimar signifies purify inthis deck and the picture is
just the most gorgeous pictureof waves and a mermaid or whale,
a tail with the Larimar stoneon it.
A tale with the Larimar stoneon it.
(36:32):
And let's read a little bitabout what Larimar signifies.
Now you may be wondering ifI've been doing tarot for this
long, like why am I still usingthe book.
I advocate that you always usethe book that the artist
included with what they designed, even if you are an intuitive
reader, even if you've beenreading for decades, like I have
, and you know the cards insideand out, because when the artist
(36:55):
created the deck, theinspiration that caused them to
create that deck usually has alot to do with the
interpretations and informationthat they include with it.
So I always love seeing wherethe artist was coming from when
they created just such abeautiful, inspired image.
And for Larimar, it'stranquility, healing and renewed
(37:20):
outlook.
Like I said I've said this manytimes the divination draws for
this podcast.
I'm going to have to startdoing on camera because they're
usually so on point.
I couldn't have planned it if Itried.
This says dive into the depthsof tranquility with the
purifying magic of Larimar, asyou banish negativity, cleanse
(37:42):
your aura and refresh your soul.
Let go of what no longer servesyou, find your center and
emerge from the depths with arenewed outlook that sparkles
with positivity.
That couldn't be more on pointfor what we need right now.
That's incredible.
The card is absolutelybeautiful.
(38:03):
If you don't have Larimar,appetite is a great stone that
has similar properties and evenlooks the same.
Blue calcite is another onethat can often be mistaken for.
Larimar, tourmaline andobsidian are more commonly.
You're able to access those andthose are great stones for
(38:24):
dealing with negative energy.
And again, I know for some ofyou this is a little woo-woo,
but you know, if you think aboutit, especially in the quantum
physics sense of thinking aboutthings, energy is a constant and
we know, as highly educatednurses and healthcare
professionals, that there aresome things that science just
(38:46):
can't explain.
And if carrying around a sliceof what looks like the most
beautiful tropical ocean in yourpocket helps remind you to let
go of what doesn't serve you andfind your center and sink into
that imagery of that beautifulocean and protect your peace,
(39:09):
well then I'd say, even ifscience has a little bit of a
way to go to explain the woo-woopart of it, it doesn't really
matter because we know it stillworks.
The next thing we're going to dois our tarot divination.
So we need to see what ourcollective guidance for the week
is and what the tarot deck hasto tell us.
(39:31):
And this deck I'm still usingthe crystal struck tarot deck by
Moonstruck Crystals.
I did put a picture up on IG,like I said I would, if you want
to take a look at it.
And this week is the seven ofpentacles.
This is optical calcite and itis absolutely gorgeous.
I don't know if you've everseen optical calcite and it is
absolutely gorgeous.
I don't know if you've everseen optical calcite, but it is
(39:54):
clear and usually has a rainbowhue and the seven of pentacles.
Oh, my Perseverance, growth andhard labor.
Optical calcite is a stone ofgrowth manifestation and it
amplifies positive energy.
You are almost there.
You've been putting in the workand your successful roots are
(40:16):
showing.
The efforts you've been puttingin are beginning to manifest in
your life and things aregrowing well.
Be patient and keep up the goodwork.
Now I know at first hearing it'skind of like how is that
connected to the past week and ahalf?
It is because nursing over thedecades has continued to hold
(40:37):
the line and continued to growand we've established roots in
equity and equality and the workisn't over, but we've done so
much hard work that right now,right now, is when our unity and
common ground as nurses reallyshows the fruits of its labor,
(40:57):
as we protect our patients and,most importantly, as you protect
yourself, as you protect yourpeace and you protect your
mental health.
If you don't put you first, youwon't be able to take care of
anyone anywhere else.
So this podcast was definitelya heavy podcast, I know, and I
(41:21):
just want to extend a reallyheartfelt thank you for sticking
with us and for listening.
I want to extend a heartfeltthank you for being my colleague
as a nurse during thesechallenging times.
I wouldn't want to do it withthank you for being my colleague
as a nurse during thesechallenging times.
I wouldn't want to do it with abetter group of people, and I
want to remind you that you'renot alone.
Together, we, as nurses, cancreate safer, more inclusive
(41:43):
spaces for all of our patientsand for each other.
These populations that areaffected by what's been going on
are not just reflected in ourpatients, but they are directly
reflected in each other, and weare all nurses.
That is our one commonality.
Across every other aspect ofour lives that we share is that
(42:05):
we are all nurses.
So I just want to thank you.
I want to encourage you to putyourself first.
I want to encourage you toprioritize your peace, to
prioritize your mental healthand take care of yourself,
because if you don't, we can'ttake care of anybody else.
I love your faces and I willtalk to you next week.
(42:26):
This is your ritual nurse Reva,thanks for tuning in to the
Ritual Nurse Podcast.
You can find us wherever youlisten to podcasts.
This is your ritual nurse, reva, thanks for tuning in to the
Ritual Nurse Podcast.
You can find us wherever youlisten to podcasts, so don't
forget to subscribe and stayconnected For all our social
links free education classes,blogs and podcast notes with
resources head over to tcthorg.
(42:48):
Until next time, love yourfaces.
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