NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: __Amanda Nguyen_____ Your Buddy: ___Cassidy Leroux_____

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 This week, I did a variety of exercises. On Monday, I did an hour long weight lifting session focused on
the chest muscles and ran two miles which took about 20 minutes. On Tuesday, I did a half hour long
arm workout focusing on my biceps and triceps and did another two mile run that took about 20
minutes. On Wednesday, I did an hour long workout focusing on my shoulders and back muscles and
ran four miles which took about 40 minutes. On Thursday, I ran three miles in about 30 minutes. On
Friday, I followed a Zumba video for 40 minutes. On Saturday, I ran four miles in about 40 minutes.
Then I did a leg workout for about an hour afterwards. On Sunday, I used the elliptical for 40 minutes.
Comments on Activity:
I always feel rejuvenated after I work out. It is definitely hard to get the energy to drag myself to the
gym and lift weights that I convince myself are too heavy. During my runs, I notice that I start to pick
out aspects that are bothering me such as my hair is not tied up high enough or it smells badly on this
area of campus. I realized that that was my mind’s way of complaining about my environment because I
was struggling with my run. I am going to try to put that energy into thinking positively such as how
lucky I am to be able to run in the first place or how I am able to see parts of campus that I usually do
not get to see. I know that my body is capable of doing longer runs, it is just my mind that I must train
and convince to view it as a positive thing. Afterwards though, I always feel very accomplished.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
2 Every week, I have decided to increase the number of miles that I run by one. On Monday, I ran three
miles in about 30 minutes and did a chest workout for about an hour. On Tuesday, I ran five miles in
about 50 minutes. I also went to yoga in the morning for an hour. On Wednesday, I ran one mile in
about 10 minutes and did a shoulder and back workout. On Thursday, I ran two miles. On Friday, I ran
2 miles, but then injured myself while country dancing. On Saturday, I was not able to do any exercise
because I was in so much pain.
Comments on Activity:
It has been several years since I went to a yoga class. I noticed that I had lost a lot of flexibility over the
years. I really enjoyed getting back into yoga though. It was hard work and really challenged my
balance but still was mind clearing, relaxing, and calming. I have been doing much better at not being
negative and whiny during my runs. I have started to get in my zone and focus on my music. I find that
my mind does not focus on school or anything on my agenda. After my run, I feel energized and I feel
that I approach the rest of my tasks with a new energy and frame of mind. My shins and body have been
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 very sore, so I have been working on finding a balance between taking a break and pushing myself.
When I got hurt, it was super depressing and upsetting that I could not keep exercising. It has been such
a big part of my life that that I felt a bit useless that I could barely bend over to put on my shoes.

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

I spoke with Cassidy about my progress and she has been very supportive of my efforts. She has also
been keeping up with her exercise as well, and seems very committed to sticking to her routine. Both of
us said we feel a lot healthier and that we are making better choices for ourselves. She noticed the
improvement in her focus.

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

3 Because I have been hurt, I could not run and lift weights like normally, so I had to adjust my routine. I
instead went on a walk every day from either half an hour to an hour and did the StairMaster for 20
minutes six days of this week.

Comments on Activity:
Not being able to do the same intensity of workouts that I have been used to was very frustrating. The
first few days, I was not even enjoying my walk because I was just thinking about how I should be
running and training and about how I would be losing progress. However, I was able to channel that
anger into doing the stairs, and still getting a good workout by doing that. I was never able to do a full
20 minutes on the stairs before, but I was able to channel my emotions into doing that. By the end of the
week, I began to enjoy my leisurely walk and appreciate that walking allowed me to take in my
surroundings, something I do not usually get to do when I just run past. So while it was frustrating to
not be able to do my normal workouts, I started to look at it in a more positive light.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Cassidy has been very supportive and understanding during my time being hurt. She has let me rant to
her about how frustrating it has been which has helped me release some of my anger and frustration.
She has even offered to go on walks with me! She has been very encouraging and has kept reminding
me that my pain is temporary, and that I will be able to get back to my previous training state. She has
been keeping up very well with her workout training as well, too.

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 Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
4 This week I was able to start running and lifting lightly. I ran three times a week for about 30 minutes
each time. I also went to a one-hour yoga class to help stretch out my back and release the tenseness. I
also went to dance for two hours on Tuesday. On Thursday, I went on an 8 mile hike in Sabino Canyon.

Comments on Activity:
I never truly appreciated being able to exercise before my accident. Being hurt really put it into
perspective for me how debilitating that must be for people with chronic pain or disabilities. This week
was a week of success and improvement. Though it still hurt a bit to exercise, and though I knew that I
was not 100 percent back to normal, it felt great to be able to relieve stress through exercise. The hike
was my favorite! It felt great to connect with nature and escape campus for a bit.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Cassidy has been keeping up with her exercises as well. We actually went to yoga together! We both
have noticed the change in our bodies and the mental changes that exercising has done for us. We are
hoping to get the chance to run and exercise together more often.

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

5 This week I had clinicals on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so I was unable to do a full workout on
those days except for a quick abdominal exercise in the morning before my shift. I ran three miles every
day on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and that lasted about 30-35 minutes. I also lifted
weights every one of those days for an additional 45minutes to an hour. I went to my very first hot yoga
class on Friday.
Comments on Activity: I was frustrated that I did not have the energy or time to work out after my shifts
because my body was so tired and I knew that I had three shifts in a row, so I could not stay up late
going to the gym. However, doing a quick ab exercise in the morning helps wake me up and give me a
quick five minutes to myself before the chaos of the day started. Hot yoga was a great experience. I was
working very hard and felt that I had sweat out everything in my body! I have loved weight lifting on
my days off more and more. I started keeping a log of all of my exercises and it is great to see my
improvement as time goes on!

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

Cassidy lifted weights with me once this week and also was the one to convince me to go to hot yoga.
We both agreed that we felt so relaxed after it. She stated how when she starts yoga, it is impossible for
her to really “clear her mind” because she is still thinking about everything that needs to be done.
However, by the end of it, she was able to fully relax and give into the rises and falls of her breath. She
also agrees that working out on days that she has her shifts is too much to handle, so she also tries to
work out on the days that she has off.

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

6
This week I was able to get at least seven hours of sleep before my clinical shifts. I got seven and a half
hours of sleep on Sunday night, eight hours on Monday night, and eight hours on Tuesday night. On
Thursday, I did yoga for an hour with my dorm.

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 Comments on Activity:

It made a huge difference getting more than seven hours of sleep before a clinical shift. Last week, I
noticed myself zoning out and getting really tired towards the last two to three hours. This week, I was
much more energetic and the day did not drag on at all! I definitely feel that that improved my mood,
activity level, and my patient care. On the flip side, this week was a bit frustrating because I was so tired
after going to the hospital for four days in a row that on my days off I was not feeling like working out.
Even when I did yoga with my dorm, I could tell I was exhausted because I was not holding poses as
long and I would tire out quickly. I did not even get to lift weights this week, which was really
disappointing. I want to make sure that I keep that part in my life though, so I need to work on
allocating not just my time, but my energy into the right place.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Cassidy also noted that it was hard for her to keep up with workouts during clinicals. She still ran this
week though. She wanted to schedule going to dance classes together to help keep each other
accountable for taking time for ourselves and doing something we enjoy. Hopefully, we can start that
soon!

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

7
This week was spring break, so the entire spring break was a self-care week! Me and three other nursing
students went to California and we went hiking, kayaking, shopping, to the beach, and adventuring
around new cities. We actually had time to cook meals, which we realized none of us have been doing
during preceptorship.
Comments on Activity:

This was such a needed break from school. We had all realized how stressed we have been since
preceptorship started that this was a great way to escape it for a little bit. We all had so much fun
together and enjoyed self-care with the right amount of indulgence. I think that simply getting to cook a
meal with my friends was one of the major highlights. None of us had cooked in so long that having a
home cooked meal and people to enjoy it with was so heartwarming. I ended the week feeling so much
better.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Cassidy actually came on this trip with me. We both had a great time adventuring and exploring
together. It was also nice to have someone to share the stories of our patients and preceptorships with. It
helped us get it off our chest so that we could enjoy our week off. To not have to rush anywhere and to
be able to take however much time we needed was such a blessing. We both had a great time!

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 Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
8
This week I had shifts on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and I again got at least seven hours of
sleep on the nights before. I also was able to start running and working out again. I lifted weights on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for about an hour each day. I ran on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday for
about 30 minutes.

Comments on Activity:

Though spring break was nice, it also felt good to be back into the swing of things. I really enjoyed
getting back into running and consistently lifting. I can tell that my mood and energy level get so much
better after I work out. I also just feel more ready to tackle my shifts during the next week when I get to
work out beforehand. I am also just really proud of being consistent with getting enough sleep on my
days before my shift. I think it makes a huge difference.
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?

These activities taught me a lot about how I manage stress and what works well for me and what does
not. I learned that there are so many ways that you can take care of yourself and even if you are not at a
place where you can do your normal self-care routine, there are a plethora of other things to choose
from. Forcing myself to do this made me realize that I need to make this a part of my routine and that
making self-care just as important as school or clinicals will help me make time for something that is
truly beneficial to my wellbeing.

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

I noticed that I have so much more energy. I sleep better at night and work more efficiently throughout
the day. I also have felt less stressed over the last eight weeks because I know that I have outlets to
relieve it. Everything seems much more manageable. I have noticed that I have made better health
decisions to accompany my work out habits too!

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I will continue to place high importance on self-care and schedule in self-care into my calendar like I do
my assignments. I will try to get a reasonable amount of sleep every night instead of telling myself “I
can function on five hours of sleep.” Most importantly, I will take time to be with people and do the
things that make me happy. I have seen how much of a positive impact that has made on my life and I
hope to continue it forever.

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 Comments/suggestions:

Thank you for this great assignment!

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