Fight Burnout With Pilates And Other Ways

Caring for others may be rewarding and tiring at the same time. It is not a surprise why some nurses and other medical professionals also experience burnouts. Nurses not only mind their station, they also have the responsibility of carrying out physician’s orders, make phone calls and appointments and mot especially, cater to the needs of their patients. With all these tasks to balance, at the end of the day, they get exhausted too. Prolonged exposure to their stressful work environment can make them lose interest with their responsibilities and tasks which is why they should look for effective ways to cope with these situations. While taking breaks may offer temporary relief, there are also some matters that can help them prevent burnout.

Pilates is a very good form of physical exercise for nurses because it has positive effects on the mind and body of a person. With this exercise, the body learns to move with discipline. The most important factors of Pilates are breathing, posture and strength. Proper breathing techniques allow the blood to flow or circulate effectively in the body. Because of this, the cells receive adequate amount of oxygen they need in order to function optimally. When the cells are healthy, the person has more resistance to stress and illness. Breathing techniques are also effective in relieving stress and pain. The advantage of learning breathing techniques is that you can use it anywhere, even while staying at the station to carry out tasks or taking care of the patients. This can be very helpful in keeping the nurses relaxed and focus with their job. Proper posture is very important while rendering care to patients since there are activities that can also injure nurses if not done properly. Patients who have limited movement need nurses in order to do turning, transferring from the bed to a chair and lifting. When the nurse does not practice proper posture and body mechanics when this is done, they may have higher risks of hurting themselves. Strength or centering, as it is called with Pilates, can also be helpful to nurses. Pilates focuses on creating a strong center which has an influence with the extremities in order to have greater balance and endurance.

Aside from Pilates, there are also other things nurses can do in order to cope with stress and exhaustion. Try to create a comfortable workplace by making a clutter-free station. Keep things organized so you don’t have to turn things over just to find what you are looking for. Wear comfortable scrubs such as Cherokee Scrubs which have different designs to suit and fit you properly. Stiff uniforms can only add to the discomfort that you may feel while working.

Condition yourself before going on duty that being a nurse is really a challenging job. Things do not happen out of routines since there are emergency cases that may happen during your shift. If you are covering a wide area and you always find yourself rushing from the stations to rooms and vice versa, choose pants which are snug. Avoid pants which are difficult to use and carry. Landau 8320 Classic Fit pants are nice to use with waist bands that will not cause you to feel itchy at the end of the day.

Lastly, smile. Being optimistic will not only make you feel good, it can also influence your patients and may even speed up their recovery. Patients under the care of happy nurses become less cranky and more cooperative with procedures. Take care of yourself as you take care of others.