Engaging, Heartfelt Presentation Offers Solid Solutions
Self-care has been a hot topic since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but just what that means isn’t always clear.
Mary Teague, M.Div, B.S.N., R.N., nursing supervisor and Faith Community Nursing liaison at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, shared a definition, introduced the concept of spiritual distress and presented some simple practices for self-care earlier this month at Nursing Congress.
“Self-care is the deliberate expenditure of energy and time to perform those activities required for well-being and good health, including rest and relaxation,” she said in the presentation drawn from research and co-authored by Cheryl Mart, M.S.N., R.N.-BC, also of Faith Community Nursing.
Self-care must be deliberate, which can mean scheduling something healthy — mentally, physically or spiritually — until it becomes a habit. Teague, who with Mart gathered information for the presentation from 17 sources, recommends three practices for relieving spiritual distress: mindfulness, sabbath or a day of rest, and personal self-care.
Spiritual distress
Some signs of spiritual distress:
- Despair, withdrawal. Feeling trapped, or an outcast and alone
- Anger, shame, guilt, hopelessness confusion
- Preoccupation with self
- Depression and anxiety
- Questioning the meaning of life or suffering
- Questioning beliefs or sudden doubt in spiritual or religious beliefs
- Hypersensitivity to others and the energy around us
Mindfulness
Mindfulness means being awake to the present moment, experiencing what is happening to you and the effect on you. She had the audience try this practice:
- Take five slow, deep breaths, making yourself aware of your body, bringing your thoughts under control, focusing on this very moment.
- Think of something joyful. Where do you feel it in your body?
- Think of something that is irritating. Where do you feel it?
Teague said scientific studies indicate it is possible, with practice, to train your body to manage the impact of irritating stimuli by breathing and focusing on something joyful. This can influence your body to crave joyful feelings.
Day of rest
Resting can mean reading, meditation, TV, hobbies, sports or taking a nap. Setting the table and making your favorite meal for yourself, family and/or friends is a form of self-care. Experts on self-care recommend:
- Doing something just for fun
- Paying attention to your own needs
- Having an unscheduled day
- Allowing yourself to say no to obligations
- Going somewhere you want to go alone
- Taking a nap
- Being with people who let you be your full self
- Taking a walk in nature
- Spending quality time with a friend
Move Away From Self-Sacrifice
Healthcare workers especially must “move away from the idea that we should self-sacrifice,” she said. “We must keep our cups full just to manage our own lives. We cannot continue to take care of others from our own cup. Fill your own cup with things that cause it to overflow, then take care of others from that overflow.”
She encouraged nurses to remember Texas Health’s commitment to holistic practice by really seeing the patient as a person in the room and making a connection. “Let them know that their spiritual health is as important to us as their mental and physical health,” she said.
“Our Texas Health Promise Behaviors establish expectations that make it easy to incorporate spiritual care into our work,” Teague said. “I promise to make every interaction unique and memorable. I will build trust and develop meaningful connections to create long-term relationships. I will take care of you and me — body, mind and spirit.”
Published November 15, 2022
