Question

Scenario

You were provided a scholarship to attend the National Holistic Nursing Conference. During this conference, you participated in a self-care workshop and learned skills to increase self-care. When concluding the day's activities, the presenters asked you to reflect on your self-care habits and to document that reflection in a one-to-two-page journal entry.

Instructions
Write a one to two journal entry that addresses the following:
- Using your own words, define self-care and the benefits of practicing self-care as a student.
- Describe at least one self-care skill you plan to start using in your daily health practices.
- Identify which self-care technique you would use and explain how you would begin using this technique.
- Do you anticipate any barriers to using this new skill?
- Describe at least one self-care skill you find complicated to implement into your nursing practice and discuss why this approach would be challenging to implement.

Answer 1

Self-care involves deliberate actions to maintain and improve well-being. One self-care skill to start using is mindfulness meditation. A potential barrier may be finding time and consistency. Setting boundaries in nursing practice can be challenging.

Step-by-step explanation:

Self-care: Self-care refers to the practice of taking deliberate actions to maintain and improve one's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. As a student, practicing self-care can provide numerous benefits such as reduced stress, improved focus and concentration, increased productivity, and overall better health.

One self-care skill to start using: One self-care skill that I plan to start using in my daily health practices is mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment, observing one's thoughts and feelings without judgment. To begin using this technique, I can set aside a few minutes each day to sit in a quiet space, close my eyes, and focus on my breathing while observing any thoughts or sensations that arise.

Anticipated barriers: One potential barrier to using mindfulness meditation as a self-care skill could be finding the time and consistency to incorporate it into my daily routine. However, by prioritizing self-care and setting aside a specific time each day for meditation, I can overcome this barrier.

Complicated self-care skill: One self-care skill that I find complicated to implement into my nursing practice is setting boundaries. As a nurse, it can be challenging to balance the needs of patients with my own personal boundaries. This can be especially difficult when facing high patient loads or demanding situations. Implementing this approach would be challenging because it requires assertiveness, effective communication, and the ability to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty or neglecting patient care.