What Nurses Told Us About How They Relax

We recently posed the following question on AJN’s Twitter page: “RNs: we want to know: how do you relax?” Some of the answers are below. Exercise is one biggie, at least among those who answered. (Are Twitterers more exercise-prone than non-Twitterers? Hmmm….) Anything you’d like to add to our unscientific list of ways to relax? (If for any reason you mind us citing your Twitter self here, please let us know and we will remove your comment!)

Safety4Nurses @AmJNurs I was recently reminded by my 6 month old puppy that play time and naps are important for relaxation!

ErinRN @AmJNurs relax with hot bath, alcohol, reading, and favorite tv show (not all at once, ha!)

lydiasmith@AmJNurs Prayer, music, going out dancing, and cooking. Psychosociospiritual and physical modes! Practice what we preach.

andrealgilmore @AmJNurs: #1 getting off the floor & outside if possible. #2 balancing work with family & me time. #3 exercise and last but not least, TEA.

WendyGlosser @AmJNurs I jump in my pool but also have a photography business on the side that allows me to escape a few times a week.

superjenie RT @AmJNurs: RNs: we want to know: how do you relax? –LOL do we nurses ever relax?? :))

LiveLaughLetGo @AmJNurs The best way for me is to run, but also hanging with friends and family.

ThaRizz0 @AmJNurs As an RN I find time to exercise and push […]

2016-11-21T13:17:19-05:00June 9th, 2010|career, nursing perspective, personal health practices|2 Comments
Read More

Obesity and Advice: Should Nurses Practice What They Teach?

YphantidesArticleScreenshotI recently read a story that was blunt about the contradictions of being an obese health care provider. I don’t consider myself overweight or obese, but maintaining a weight I am happy with is an ongoing challenge. Dr. Nick Yphantides, who says that he lost over 250 pounds, got tired of telling patients, “Do as I say, not as I do,” and realized that he needed to change if he expected patients to take his message to heart.

Nurses are teachers in the most basic sense. We often take advantage of “teachable moments” with our patients on a variety of topics. One of our primary roles is that of educator. As a student, I found myself most drawn to teachers I could relate to—those that “walked their talk.” One of my favorite professors taught my psych rotation both in the classroom and in the clinical setting. She made our rotation interesting, not scary, and was an amazing role model on many levels. I remember her as calm, intelligent, and empathetic. She was also stylish and fit. As a 19-year-old student, I thought she was pretty cool. One of my first positions after the highly recommended but dreaded “year in med-surg” was as a staff nurse in a psychiatric unit. I loved it, and often found myself drawing on […]

2016-11-21T13:23:05-05:00August 24th, 2009|career, personal health practices|1 Comment
Read More

Weight Loss: Why Doesn’t Knowledge Translate into Action?

When I worked in primary care I was always frustrated by orders to give patients a handout on low-fat diets (and two minutes of explanation) and send them on their way. Once, a patient came in with back pain; she’d fallen out of a chair that broke when she sat on it. While her eyes glazed over, I spent a few minutes going over the diet the doctor ordered for her. At the end of this painfully futile exchange I asked her if she had any questions. She responded, “Have you ever thought of cutting your hair short?” Something tells me she didn’t run right out to buy vegetables and join a gym.

2016-11-21T13:27:10-05:00June 9th, 2009|Nursing, personal health practices|3 Comments
Read More

Comment ground rules

1. Please be respectful.
2. We moderate all comments.

Content disclaimer

Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Go to Top