The best answer is to be prepared. I don’t just mean knowledge. You need to maintain work-life balance. Don’t work more that 48 hours a week on a regular basis. Do your best to be healthy (eat well, exercise, etc). Take mental health days and mini vacations to help de-stress. Talk to a therapist if possible on a semi regular basis.
Put yourself in a position where you can ‘win’. Going into your job already stressed tf out will never be good for you or the patient.
If the situation allows it, I highly recommend excusing yourself for a moment. Go to a restroom and splash water on your face, hydrate yourself, do some breathing exercises, go for a walk outside. Do something that allows you to calm down and refocus your energy and your mindset on solving the problem instead of reacting to it. I've had nurses go to their cars and scream it out before coming back in and addressing the situation with a fresh perspective.
If the situation does not allow you to briefly remove yourself, take a deep breath, try to understand where the others in the situation are coming from, acknowledge (at least to yourself) that the situation is challenging, and try to find something that everyone involved can agree upon. Once you've found that commonality, it's easier to de-escalate tension and work together to find a solution.
Also, be forgiving with yourself. Many of the stressful situations I've found myself in stemmed from me, and others, expecting too much from me at one time. I had to remind myself that I am one human who can only do so many things at once. As soon as I acknowledged my humanity and my limitations, I was better able to focus and prioritize my tasks and actually start getting things done. We are not limitless, or tireless, or flawless. We have to embrace that rather than fight against it.
It’s is important to consider what is within your circle of influence so that you don’t unnecessarily expend precious time and energy on things beyond your control. Do not underestimate the power of a pause. When you feel rushed or pressured, you are more likely to miss things and possibly be involve in erroneous decision-making. Seek out resources who can assist with what you need to accomplish.
There are a million situations I can think of and all of them can have a different approach, but here are some thoughts to consider
1. Do not try to solve something where policy already has the answer. Organizational policy and your licensure regulations end the stress
2. Don’t make a professional decision/situation personal.
.3. Stay calm, and finish the job. Review and speak with your supervisor. Take the situation up the chain if needed so this will not happen again.
4. Never, ever let them see you cry. I didn’t say don’t cry, just don’t have an audience
5. If you have more stressful days than good days, you need to understand why. Management, staffing, you don’t like where you are? Time to re-evaluate your situation. Refer to #3.
“Be that nurse. The one they never forget”
Talk to people
Take time to unwind
Take care of yourself
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Connect to your faith based organization and keep praying
Take Care of your body
As a Nurse practitioner one needs to know how to be stress- free by not overworking more than 48- hours per week, and if stressed up ,you talk it out with your supervisor that will arrange for a relief in your shift and the nurse should go and see a therapist ,eat well balanced diet, exercise and rest well.
