With a pandemic continuing to impact the world, the need for health professionals to take time for self-care is stronger than ever. As first responders on the frontlines, nurses must also care for themselves to provide consistent quality care for their patients.

So much of a nurse's time is focused on helping others that it's easy for nurses to forget about their own health.

Nurses work busy schedules and long hours. Nurse burnout can impact the quality of care nurses provide, leading to lack of focus, forgetfulness, and mental mistakes due to exhaustion.

A Healthy Nurse Survey completed over the past year by the American Nurses Association found that there was an urgent need to improve nurses health, particularly in the areas of physical activity, nutrition, rest, safety, and quality of life.

In fact, 70% of nurses surveyed believed they prioritized their patients' care over their own, while 77% found themselves to be at a "significant level of risk" for stress in the workplace.

Nurses must view self-care as a high priority to lessen the negative impact burnout can have on themselves and the care they give to their patients.

Sources - https://nursejournal.org/resources/self-care-for-nurses/

Photo Credits - https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/ultimate-guide-self-care-nurses/