NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: _Taylor Hibbetts______________ Your Buddy: _Kevin Olivares__________

Select any evidence-based intervention/recommendation to follow (do this over 8 weeks):

𐄂 Sleep at least 7 hours per night before and after a work or school day
𐄂 Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes everyday
𐄂 Complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as biking under 9
mph, dancing, jogging, or playing tennis; or complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week,
such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.
𐄂 Participate in two professionally led yoga classes for one hour or longer per week
𐄂 Spend up to 2 hrs in Nature or longer per week
𐄂 Other (Must get your Clinical Faculty approval first, and activity should be up to 2 hrs or longer
per week)

Complete Weekly journal entries:

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
1
Running is an important source of stress relief for me, so my first intervention will be to make sure to
budget time for it in my schedule. I will run 3-7 miles per day (at a 9-10 minute pace) for at least five
days a week. I will run on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and at least two additional days of my choice.

Comments on Activity:

I woke up at 5 am on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to get 3 miles in before my commitments. I ran
additional (uncounted) miles on Wednesday and Friday in the evenings, and 7 miles on Saturday and
Sunday each in multiple sessions.
I find that counting miles does not come naturally to me. I tend to run my preferred track around my
neighborhood “until it stops feeling good”, which varies widely in miles depending on the day. I do like
running in the mornings though, it helps relax me for my day.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

2
Trying to estimate the miles I ran was distracting, so this week I am measuring my intervention by time.
I will run 30-60 minutes a day, five days a week. I will keep my previous schedule of Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, and two additional days of my choice.

Comments on Activity:

I woke up at 5 am to get a 30 minute run in on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I also ran in the
evenings on each of these days for an unrecorded amount. I ran at least 60 minutes on Monday,
Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday in 1-3 sessions during the days.

I’m having no trouble making time for running in my current schedule. Within this log I may try to
switch my intervention activity, but I will continue to perform this basic running intervention in addition
to my new choice. I want the chance to explore new self-care activities, but I am not willing to give up
the mental health benefits of my running schedule.
M O’C Fall 2018
 Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin agreed with the mental health benefits of running and uses running to give himself a “mental
reset”. He enjoyed having a fellow runner checking in with him as he feels checking in with a fellow
runner can keep him motivated.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

3
This is my first week of clinical shifts, so am switching my intervention to sleeping 7 hours a night
before and after a school or work day. I will also be maintaining my running schedule outlined in week
2.
To manage this, I will try to be ready for bed by 8pm every night so that I can fall asleep by 9. I will get
up at 4am every morning so I have time for morning exercise.

Comments on Activity:

I was able to meet my exercise goals this week, running most mornings before school/work and several
times throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

My sleep schedule was much harder to stick to. I actually do not mind waking up at 4am, as this was
my routine for all of my past semesters on clinical days. The problem was falling asleep by 9pm. Even
though I was tired, I had trouble putting down entertaining activities to go to bed. On Sunday through
Thursday I was asleep roughly by 10pm, which only gave me 6 hours a night. After my Friday shift, I
stayed up much later because I knew I could sleep in to get at least 7 hours.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin also altered his intervention to include sleeping into his schedule in preparation for beginning
clinicals. He was not able to get all 8 hours of sleep but felt his work performance was not affected. He
was able exercise, which he really enjoyed since he has been relying on cafeteria food while working
the night shift.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

4
This week I am going to continue to try to improve my sleep schedule. I have clinical Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I also have an exam on Wednesday. While Saturday night is
technically not required, I will aim to get 7 hours of sleep every night.

I will continue the running plan outlined in week 2.

Comments on Activity:

I met my exercise goals for this week by running every morning for 20-30 minutes, most evenings for
30-60 minutes, and in several sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

M O’C Fall 2018

 I was more successful in sticking to my sleep schedule as well. The hours that I slept in the preceding
night are as follows (ex- I got through Monday with 6.5 hours of sleep):
Monday - 6.5
Tuesday - 6
Wednesday - 8
~I slept in until 5:30 due to the later school start.
Thursday - 7
Friday - 7
Saturday - 9
Sunday - 8.5

It is miserable trying to get through a clinical day with too little sleep. Knowing the consequences has
helped motivate me to actually commit to sleeping at night, instead of reading or playing on my phone
as long.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin had a rough week because his clinical schedule ran right up to our exam day. As a result he was
not able to get quality sleep due to extra studying before the test and then taking the test right after
clinical while having to rush home to get sleep to get ready for his Wednesday shift. Though, he was
able to get his exercise in for the week which he felt ended his week on a good note.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

5
I am continuing the previous weeks’ interventions. I will run 30-60 minutes a day, at least 5 days a
week of my choice. I will also aim to get 7 hours of sleep a night on days before and after class or
clinical. I will aim to be asleep by 9pm and wake up at 4am on clinical days, 5:30am on school days.

Comments on Activity:

This was a very busy week, and the first that I was unable to meet my exercise goals. I ran 30 minutes
on Monday, over 60 minutes on Friday, and several sessions amounting to over 90 minutes on Saturday
and Sunday each. This was partly due to fatigue from work and a lack of sleep, as well as the
development of pain in my right arch that discouraged me from running.

I managed to get at least 6 hours of sleep for most days of the week. The hours that I slept in the
preceding night are as follows:
Monday - 5.5
Tuesday - 6.5
Wednesday - 6
Thursday - 8
Friday - 7
Saturday - 8
Sunday 8.5

I’ve found that I can go several days on 6 hours of sleep and function fairly well during the day. I have
trouble maintaining this for a full week, but sometimes I’m willing to be a little tired to save time for

M O’C Fall 2018

 my hobbies. I’ll continue to try to get 7 hours of sleep per night for this project, but that extra hour
awake is pretty important to me to pursue the activities that make me happy. I consider that a form of
self care too.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin agrees that getting 6 hours of sleep for a extended period of time can cause the body to become
fatigued. While he set his sleeping goal to 8 hours a day for the past couple of weeks, he is still having
trouble meeting that goal. He felt this week was somewhat disappointing as he was only able to run for
one day as opposed to 2 days.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

6
This week I’ve decided to stop tracking the amount of time I spend running each week. I will continue
trying to get 7 hours of sleep on the days before and after clinical/class. I will aim to be asleep by 9pm
and wake up at 4am on clinical days, 5:30am on school days.

Comments on Activity:

I had no doubt that I could run at least 60 minutes a week (the recommended intervention), and it was a
little more fun when I didn’t have to actually time myself or pressure myself to run on certain days.

My sleep log is as follows:

Monday: 6.5
Tuesday: 7
Wednesday: 6.5
Thursday: 7
Friday: 8
Saturday: 8
Sunday: 7.5

This week I was able to get to bed by 9pm on most days. I also decided that if I got to bed late, I would
set my alarm clock a little later to 4:30 or 5 am. It helped me get more sleep, but that throws my
schedule off and I don’t feel quite right if I don’t start my day with a run. I may have to tweak my
system again next week.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin really enjoyed having a extended amount of time off between this and last week's clinicals. He
felt he really caught up on some extra sleep and it was going to get him ready for his last 2 weeks of
clinicals as they are bunched together along with his leadership shadowing day. He also felt good
because he was able to run for 30 minutes on Wednesday. He feels he needs to figure out his sleeping
schedule before he starts his career as a professional nurse even though he can work well throughout his
clinicals.

M O’C Fall 2018

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
7
My intervention is the same as last week’s. I will aim to get 7 hours of sleep before and after the days I
have class or clinical. I will do this by aiming to be in bed with the lights out by 9pm, and waking
between 4-4:30 am.

Comments on Activity:

I was almost completely successful in my goal this week. The log is as follows:
M: 7
T: 6.5
W: 7.5
T: 8
F: 8.5
S: 8
S: 7

I’m not sure why, but I was exhausted this entire week. On Tuesday, I came home and fell asleep by
4:30 pm and woke up at 10pm. I stayed awake to run, make dinner, and do homework until 3 am, then
slept until 4:30 am. That was the most unusual sleep night I recorded, but all of the others found me
falling asleep well before 7 pm and waking before 4 am. The amount of sleep I got was nice, but I’m
not sure what happened to shift my schedule so much. I don’t mind it so much, I like having more time
to prepare and relax before work in the mornings.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Kevin was excited for this week as it was our last week of clinicals. He looked forward to getting back
to a normal school schedule. He also used this week to begin getting back to his normal running
schedule and spending some time with his dog which he felt was important.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

8
For my final week I will continue to focus on my sleep schedule. I will try to get 7 hours of sleep
before and after the days that I have class. As my preceptorship has ended, this covers the nights before
Wednesday and Thursday because my only commitment is class on Wednesday.

Comments on Activity:

I had far fewer obstacles to a good night’s sleep this week, so it was interesting to see the lingering
effects of several weeks of sleep interventions. My log is as follows:

Monday: 7.5
Tuesday: 6
Wednesday: 7

M O’C Fall 2018

 Thursday: 6.5
Friday: 7.5
Saturday: 7.5
Sunday: 8
Except for Wednesday morning, I did not turn on my alarm. I discovered that I am conditioned to wake
up between 4:30 and 5:30 am. Only once this week did I sleep past 6:30. It did not seem to matter
when I went to sleep, on the days I got less than 7 hours of sleep I went to be late but naturally woke up
before 6am. I was not very tired throughout those days, so maybe that was all the sleep I needed.

Complete Survey Below

(Once Completed submit entire document to D2L Assignment Drop box by Due date and add to Your
Portfolio.)

Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

This project taught me a lot about my own sleep habits and preferences. Apparently, I can function
pretty well on 6-7 hours of sleep. Fairly frequently I would go to bed early yet wake up naturally before
I could reach 7 hours of sleep. I also learned that I am very much a morning person, and that I have a
much harder time falling asleep than I do waking up. This makes me a little worried for how I’d
function on the night shift. If I do end up with a night position, I think I will plan to start shifting my
schedule backwards at least a month before my start date. I’d like to minimize the habits I’m adjusting
to at one time.
The results of my running intervention were no surprise. A good night’s sleep helps me function during
the day, but running is my primary source of stress relief and mood management. I learned that it is less
beneficial for me to closely monitor my running habits. As I am using it for stress relief and fun, I
prefer to run when I need to and as long as it feels good. Tracking my exercise triggers a competitive
impulse and puts more pressure on me, causing unnecessary stress. I intend to continue running for fun
after I graduate.

Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?

At the start of this project I had a very hard time falling asleep by 9pm. Now, even after the end of my
preceptorship, I find myself winding down between 8-10pm and waking up before 5:30am without an
alarm. My body seems to have adopted the intervention sleep schedule pretty well. I feel good on this
schedule, but I can’t tell if I am functioning better than I was on my previous schedule.
Regarding my exercise intervention, I had been running like this before the start of the project and I did
not notice any new benefits.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I will continue to exercise as I have been, it is a great way for me to manage my stress and stay
energized. I may decide to incorporate other forms of exercise, such as biking or an elliptical, in order
to give my joints and feet a break from the impact of running.
M O’C Fall 2018
 Whether I work days or nights, I plan to aim for 7 hours of sleep before my shifts. I tend to get caught
up reading or watching TV at night, and it takes a while for me to settle into sleep. If I aim for 6 hours
of sleep, it’s possible I will miss my deadline and get 5 hours or less, which I do not perform well on. If
I aim for 7 hours, the odds are better that I will either meet my goal or get my minimum 6 hours a night.

Comments/suggestions:

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with these statements:
Following an evidence-based recommendation to reduce burnout was valuable to me.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This 8-week intervention will help me implement preventative strategies for burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This Panopto presentation titled: “Nurse Burnout: What this is and how you can minimize it in your careers”
effectively taught me how I can reduce and address nurse burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

Completing the Big Five Personality Test was helpful for exploring my risk of nurse burnout.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

M O’C Fall 2018