Jo’s laws of nursing: revised and updated!

Fourth Law: Take care of yourself first.

Nurses are trained to discern what’s wrong with their patients and act in order to create the most healing-friendly environment possible. Unfortunately, we rarely apply those techniques to ourselves. We cannot help other people unless we are relatively healthy, uninjured and strong—both mentally and physically. Take care of yourself first.

I’ve always told the new nurses and students that I precept that the first thing to do after you get report is to pee. It takes two minutes and can make a huge difference in your day; it’s difficult to concentrate when your bladder is full. Little things like that can make a difference. Big things, like having a supportive friend or partner to listen to you when you have one of Those Days, make proportionally bigger differences.

As you’re creating the environment to help your patients heal, take the time to create the environment that will help you do your job. (I realize there are times when this is darn near impossible, given short staffing and the hurried pace of most hospitals, but there is rarely a situation so bad that it can’t be improved at least a little. Find that little bit.)

Watch out for your co-workers –>