What is the best way to deal with stress on the job? If I am having a bad shift, what can I do to help me make it through the rest of the shift?

Choose joy! Be thankful you have a job where you can help others. Take a break off the unit to take a deep breath and pray. Nursing has gotten much harder in the over 34 years I have been doing this. Our patients are a lot sicker.

Count on the trusted “work friends” you have to confide in, bitch to and over all lean on when the rough days happen (and they will). No one can understand your feelings and thoughts unless they have done the job we do. At the end of the day…they are the best ears to listen to. And the day will come when they will need you.
PS: keep every positive thing a patient has given you, said to you or other ways to make you smile. Those are the best reminders if why we do what we do..

I usually try to delegate anything that I can. Don’t feel like you need to do everything especially if you have help. Also reminding yourself you are only one person and you are doing the best you can at this time, and the patient ratio probably isn’t the best. Prioritizing things and trying (emphasis on trying) to stay organized is helpful as well!

Isolate the issues that’s making you feel stressed and looking forward to changing the narrative the rest of the day. I used to take a 15mins break and leave the floor completely wall around and remind myself why l chose the profession, pray for the grace to handle all situations, and make someone else’s life better.
Sometimes ur just been hard on urself unless productively level is low.