NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: Joanna Tomas Your Buddy: Samantha Inman

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 The intervention that I have chosen to do is to practice yoga led by an instructor for at least 1 hour twice
a week. This week, I was able to go to a YogaHour class on Friday and Sunday. Each class was an
hour long.

Comments on Activity:
I routinely attend one yoga class per week, but this was the first time that I attended two classes in one
week. Usually, I like to take a break of at least 3 days before classes since it usually leaves my entire
body sore, but my schedule for clinicals kept me from waiting that long. I was surprised to see how
refreshed I felt especially after a long week of night shifts. Each class was taught by a different
instructor, so it was nice to have different movements between both sessions. Yoga has always let me
focus on breathing and the movement of my body instead of all the tasks I have to do written on my
planner, and it was nice to have two hours of having a clear mind.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
2 This week, I was only able to attend one one-hour yoga class. Because it was the last week of
preceptorship and the week of the 473 exam, I did not have enough time to attend two classes.

Comments on Activity:
I attended the yoga class after my preceptorship and exam were done, which helped me focus on
relaxing instead of worrying about the exam. Attending yoga after a night shift was difficult because I
felt so lethargic, but afterward I found that I slept better.

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

Sam: I think it is really important that you not only had decreased levels of stress, as this is obviously
really good for your health, but more importantly you were able to sleep better because this is also really
important for your health. It is really impressive that you were able to push through your lethargy and
do something that you knew you needed to do, and you were rewarded by it! I think if you remember
this situation next time you feel unmotivated, it will remind you why you do it in the first place!

M O’C Fall 2018

 Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
3 This week, I was able to attend two one-hour yoga classes led by my favorite yoga instructor. I make it
a point to attend her classes because she always greets everyone individually, no matter how packed her
class is. I also found that she incorporates more challenging movements than other instructors, which I
like.
Comments on Activity:
In one of the sessions, my instructor’s word of the day was “transition,” and she explained that she
chose this word because most people are often focused on the end goal, not the transition that happens
in between. I found this really inspirational and perfect for this semester, because most of us are
focused on getting a job by graduation, instead of enjoying the transition time that we are in right now.
Attending two yoga classes this week also helped me relax from the stress my body was on during night
shift, and it helped with the fatigue that I was still feeling even after preceptorship ended.

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

Sam: It must have been difficult to find the motivation and energy to attend these classes after having
night shift rotation, so kudos to you! I also think that that is a very inspirational term, especially for the
transitional period of our lives we are in right now. I am glad you were able to think and reflect on this
while you were exercising, that had to help you think and accept that we are in a transitional period but
that it is natural and healthy for us!
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
4 This week, I tried 2 hours of hot yoga on Monday and Tuesday.

Comments on Activity:
I tried hot yoga because it was a form of yoga I had never done before. It was much more difficult for
me because the sweat made it more difficult to do some of the poses, but I was glad that I got to
experience a new form of yoga. I am open to trying new forms of yoga in the future, but I don’t think
hot yoga is for me.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Sam: I think it is really important that you stepped out of your comfort zone and tried something you
have never done before! I can imagine how much more difficult it is, and I’m sure your body
appreciated the change of pace! Maybe eventually you can try it again at another facility, but in the
meantime, you should be proud you did something new!

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

5 This week, I did one hour of professionally-led yoga and one hour of yoga at a hotel because of spring
break.

Comments on Activity:
Trying to fit in yoga while traveling was challenging, but I found that an hour of yoga on YouTube was
effective in helping me stretch after a flight. It also energized me to go exploring in a new city instead of
feeling too tired from the flight.

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

Sam: This is such a great idea! I think that this could be a good idea if you are having a tough shift at
work in the future, you can take a break or during lunch break just do a 15- or 30-minute online yoga
session to reset yourself and finish your shift strong. Your determination to continue with your self-care
is very evident if you were able to stick to this while traveling and on vacation!

M O’C Fall 2018

 Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
6 This week I attended 2 hours of professionally-led yoga classes with a friend.

Comments on Activity:
It was fun to go to yoga classes with a friend because having the social interaction before and after the
class also helps with decreasing stress. I find that doing workouts with other people helps me stay
motivated because someone else is there to make sure I am putting in enough effort instead of slacking
off.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Sam: The accountability of having a friend attend classes with you is so nice! Sometimes motivation
can ween and having a friend keep you motivated is important. Social interaction is also very important
for mental health so if you can incorporate that into your physical health, I think it only amplifies its
effects. It is also nice to bring a friend to a workout because our schedules are so crazy in nursing school
that we don’t always have time to be with our friends, so this is a great way to maintain these
relationships.

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

7 This week, I attended one-hour yoga classes on Sunday and Tuesday.

Comments on Activity:
I have found that Sunday and Tuesday are the perfect days for me to practice yoga because it helps me
start the week on a positive and relaxed note. I have also found that having a set schedule every week is
beneficial for me because I am someone who needs to stick to a routine. Hopefully, I will be able to find
a routine that works for me once I start working as a nurse.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Sam: Each person is different and has their own preferences, so if this is the schedule that works best for
you that you can stick to then you should! Especially if this renewed peace and energy from yoga is
going to carry you through your week, you can be even more productive!

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

8 This week, I tried one hour of Bikram yoga and one hour of yoga with meditation.

Comments on Activity:
I wanted to try two different forms of yoga because I wanted to see if other forms worked better for me.
The stress of applying for new graduate residencies and graduating was getting to me, so I used this
opportunity to take my mind off the stressors I was experiencing. I still found clearing my mind during
meditation difficult, but I still felt more relaxed afterward. Focusing on something else for an hour
really helps me de-stress, and I have found that I do better on tests if I use yoga as a “study break.”

Complete Survey Below

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

M O’C Fall 2018

 Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

Yoga taught me the importance of focusing on one thing, whether it be a word, a movement, or a
feeling, instead of the stressors of everyday life. I also learned that I need to stick to a particular routine
regardless of my schedule because I end up missing classes if I am not following a routine. Lastly, I
found that yoga is effective in decreasing burnout because it helps me focus on myself for at least one
hour. Knowing that this is effective for me makes me more inclined to continue doing it in the future.

Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?
I noticed that I found myself using deep breathing techniques whenever I feel overwhelmed or stressed.
I also found myself feeling more energized and sleeping better after attending a yoga class, especially
before an exam. Usually, I get little sleep before exams because of my test anxiety. However, I started
doing yoga before exams this semester, and I have found that it decreases my test anxiety and helps me
do better on the test. I plan on doing yoga at least twice a week before the NCLEX, because I know that
my test anxiety will be increased during that time.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I will try new forms of self-care that are beneficial for both my physical and mental health. Some
examples of this include self-defense classes, hiking, running, and walking. Yoga is perfect for de-
stressing, but I know that I will need different forms of self-care so that I don’t get too tired of doing the
same thing. I will also start using a journal, especially since some of the nurses I’ve talked to have said
that it has helped them reduce burnout and reflect on the difficult situations they face as nurses.

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.
M O’C Fall 2018
 Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

M O’C Fall 2018