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Chapter 11 Self-Care for the Gerontological Nurse. Characteristics of Nurse Healers. Recognition that nursing is a healing art. Importance of being a model of holism. Being present for patients. Creating Foundations for Healing. Guide elders with common yet challenging life transitions.
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Characteristics of Nurse Healers • Recognition that nursing is a healing art. • Importance of being a model of holism. • Being present for patients.
Creating Foundations for Healing • Guide elders with common yet challenging life transitions. • Assist individuals in exploring the deeper meaning of the experiences they face. • Soothe the physical, emotional, and spiritual pain that frequently invade fragile territory. • Provide the care that facilitates individuals in becoming integrated, restored, and balanced.
Nursing Interventions for Healing • Teaching • Guiding • Modeling • Coaching • Encouraging • Helping the patient through the various steps.
Strategies for Self-Care • Following positive health care practices. • Strengthening and building connections.
Fostering Self-Care Practices • Allocate a few hours to critically review your health status. • Identify problems. • Plan realistic actions to improve health. • Write actions on an index card and place it in a spot that is regularly seen. • Partner with a buddy who can offer support.
Barriers to Connecting with People • Little time and energy in reserve (following workday) to invest in nurturing relationships with friends and family. • Work-related stress is displaced to significant others, interfering with positive personal relationships. • Concern for patients’ welfare or employer pressure leads to excessive overtime work. • This leaves little time and energy to do more in off hours than attend to basics.
Spiritual Connectedness • Time and energy must be reserved for connecting with God or other Higher Power. • A sense of spiritual groundedness enables nurses to better understand and serve the spiritual needs of patients. • Spiritual connection can be enhanced by planning time to engage in spiritual activities.
Spiritual Activities • Prayer • Fasting • Attending church or temple • Engaging in Bible studies • Taking periodic retreats • Practicing days of solitude and silence
Staying Connected to Self • Sharing life stories • Journaling • Meditating • Taking retreats
Topics to Include in Life Story • Family profile • Childhood • Adolescence • Adulthood
Self-Care Is a Dynamic Process • Self-care is an ongoing process that demands active attention. • Knowing the actions that support self-care is only the beginning. • Committing to engaging in one’s self-care completes the picture.
Source • Eliopoulos, C. (2005). Gerontological Nursing, (6th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins (ISBN 0-7817-4428-8).