WELLNESS RESOURCES

Since you spend so much time taking care of others, it is important to spend time taking care of yourself as well. Even if you have heard about compassion fatigue and burnout syndrome, you may want to take a look at articles from the PH Pulse and a document from various critical care societies to learn more about how they can impact you and your colleagues. The wellness resources below the articles were gathered by the PHPN Communications Committee for you to enjoy and easily incorporate into your life.

Learn More About Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Syndrome

Compassion Fatigue

• Explore a 2012 issue of the PH Pulse dedicated to compassion fatigue; learn what it is, how you can take steps to combat it, and hear one nurse’s story.

Burnout Syndrome

• Read a 2016 document entitled “A Critical Care Societies Collaborative Statement: Burnout Syndrome in Critical Care Health-care Professionals. A Call for Action.” It is an official statement of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the American Thoracic Society (ATS), and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM).

Wellness Resources

The resources below will provide a few minutes of relaxation even for those without much time to spare. Try incorporating these or other relaxation techniques into your day and see if you find them helpful.

Apps

Have your phone nearby? Download one of these apps to help you take a breather.

• Deep Relax: iTunes
  Listen to the calming sounds of birds, the ocean or a crackling fire, and mix sounds together to create soothing background noise.
• Calm: iTunes, Google Play
  Take a few moments of your day to relieve stress with guided mindfulness meditation.
• Omvana: iTunes, Google Play
  Listen to some of Omvana’s calming music or mindfulness meditation tracks when you need a break. Visit the in-app store’s “free” section to find a wide selection of audio tracks for download.

Coloring

Coloring isn’t just for kids! Taking time to explore your creative side could be just what you need. You can pick up an adult coloring book at the store or print some pages from one of the websites below:

• Coloring Pages for Adults
• Coloring Pages for Adults: for Wellness, De-Stressing and Brain Stimulation
• Pigment (Coloring App!): iTunes
  Pigment provides a realistic coloring experience using different brush types and sizes, control of opacity and shade of paint and the ability to color inside or outside the lines. You can pay for a premium subscription to get more designs and brushes, but the free version provides plenty.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Exercise and physical activity are important ways to keep your mind and body healthy. Try taking some quick breaks in your day to relieve stress and improve your fitness. A brisk walk might make your day a lot brighter.

Videos

Tune out the world for a few minutes and watch one of these guided meditation videos on YouTube.

• Guided Meditation for Stress Relief
• Guided Meditation for Anxiety Relief
• Guided Meditation for Blissful Deep Relaxation

Websites

If you have a few minutes to spare when you’re in front of your screen, or maybe just need some background noise, visit one of the sites below to improve your mood and get your day back on track.

• Noisli
  Useful for both productivity and relaxation, Noisli provides background noise for whichever path you choose. It will start you off with a suggested environment, but the site also allows for easy customization.

• Happify
  This website uses activities and games to help you develop skills for resilience and happiness. Users are able to select a track that they would like to focus on and complete activities specific to those goals. Topics include: “Caregivers: Your Wellbeing Matters,” “Beat Burnout and Build Resistance,” and “Cope Better with Stress.” Positive articles are available for reading on the website, and there are also opportunities to connect with other users in the Happify community to receive and share encouragement.