Myths to bust about stress in nursing

Today, we will cover the 3 toxic myths about stress in nursing, that all student nurses and more experienced nurses MUST break away from in order to achieve career happiness. 

Getting your mindset right is truly the #1 thing you have to conquer if you want to succeed in nursing. As the popular saying goes, ‘You are your worst enemy and best asset’.

From coaching many nurses and student nurses from all walks of life over the last couple of years, I can tell you that the best and most content nurses are those with the right mindset, attitude and belief about managing stress at work. 

It's myth-busters time my friend! Time to realign your perspectives and make things right 

 Myth #1: All work stress is bad.

 Everyone talks about trying to get rid of all work stress. This approach will not help anyone. It is never going to happen and will just lead to disappointment. People think this as many people talk about stress in nursing from only one negative angle. 

But in our work, stress and its by products can be a really helpful motivation. Your patient is coding. That little buzz of stress and adrenaline is what is going to help you survive that shift. But obviously too much stress for too long will make you sick. 

Myth #2: You cannot control stress

 Now this one is SO not true. People also say that stress and nursing are an inevitable pair. This is because people are taking on and staying in jobs which just aren’t right for them. Career clarity can really help here. While it is not always possible to control the source of stress in nursing, there are some really simple and helpful coping strategies which can make a big difference. Shift recovery techniques like exercise and scheduled fun in your diary are just a couple of examples of ways which are really effective stress busters.

I have personally worked with some nurses who have used the RCA formula for career clarity with the specific task of decreasing stress in their work. I know that you can too!

Myth #3: Stress is the same for everyone.

Again not true. We don’t all experience stress the same way. It’s different for everybody. You may be stressed out by a high-pressure job, while your coworker thrives on it. This is also where using RCA can really help you find your place. 

 Myth #4: No symptoms, no stress.

I can totally understand why someone would believe this as I’ve been there myself. I have seen time and time again that despite not having any outward symptoms people are still experiencing stress which needs to be managed.

 Many people believe that just because they feel they aren’t experiencing stress then they can’t be stressed! Stress can impact people in a psychological and/or physical way. 

Common physical signs include feeling anxious, run down or short of breath. Feeling overwhelmed, disorganized and having difficulty concentrating are all signs of psychological stress.

Why is believing in these 4 myths problematic?

 Because believing in these 4 myths will stop you from taking the right action for you. Your confidence is affected, you don't seek guidance and subsequently, you can't transform love for your work into a thriving career as a result.

 As someone who helps people manage their work burnout for a living, I have seen breakthroughs and I know that it is not difficult for you to again love your work. IF you have the right guidance.

Many people search fruitlessly for information online and when that doesn't work, they give up. I don’t want you to give up because I can do this with you!

You can do this! Don't for a second doubt yourself.

Next week we look at real life stress busters for you to include in your life.