NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: __Duncan Shaw_____________________ Your Buddy: ___Daniel Hermosillo_________

Select an evidence-based recommendation to follow for 8 weeks:

Sleep at least 7 hours per night before and after a work or school day
Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes everyday
Complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as biking under 9
mph, dancing, jogging, or playing tennis; or complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week,
such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.
Participate in two professionally led yoga classes for one hour or longer per week
Spend up to 2 hrs in Nature or longer per week

Complete Weekly journal entries:

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
1
Evening, 2.5-mile walk around my neighborhood lasting appx. 45 mins. 3 times/week

Comments on Activity:

On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday evenings of this week, my daughter and I walked around our entire
neighborhood just before the sunset. We talked about her new schedule and first semester at the U of A
so far. The 45 minutes goes by very fast and we both enjoy each others company and stories. Nature
exposure and moderate exercise are both evidence-based self-care interventions.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

2
Evening, 2.5-mile walk around my neighborhood lasting 40-45 minutes. Twice this week!

Comments on Activity:

We made it out after dinner twice this week (Monday and Tuesday evenings). Again, walking around
the entire neighborhood and through Jesse Owens Park. We both got very busy towards of the week,
but it does feel good to decompress at the end of the day with a brisk-paced walk in nature. I spent time
with lil Dunc on Friday night on the dam of Lakeside Lake, catching catfish! Two days of moderate
exercise, and exposure to nature for over 3 hours with my son were awesome interventions to self-care
this week.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

My buddy, Daniel is grateful to be done with our clinical rotation for Community/Population Health.
For now, the stress is off and he is doing well. He spent a night on Mt. Lemmon, camping on Friday
night. Like myself, Daniel is becoming excited and nervous about the start of our upcoming hospital
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 clinicals. We reminded each other that upcoming self-care for these next 5 weeks could not be of greater
importance.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

3
I spent two full days (8 hrs/day) outside, in nature this week.

Comments on Activity:

As we prepared for an upcoming exam, my study cohort and I spent two full days outside. We studied
for our exam under my porch in my back yard. The weather was perfect and we studied effectively
while trying to minimize our anxiety and stress by using nature as a self-care measure. The grass was
green, the birds were chirping, and the fountain in my pond was trickling away. We all did well on our
exams! All in our cohort agree that we will study for our exams in my back yard from now on!
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Daniel has already started his clinical rotation and is working nights. He is still getting used to working
at night, but is doing well so far. He is concerned about getting in his work hours at the VA and keeping
up with class assignments and lectures while completing his clinical hours at night. I reminded him to
try and set time aside for himself at least one day this week. He said he will do this as he and his
girlfriend are planning an evening spent away in Phoenix.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

4
I got at least 7 hours of sleep each night this week.

Comments on Activity:

My clinical rotation started this week and I had four 12-hour shifts in a row at the end of the week. I was
restless the night before my first shift and did not sleep very well. The night after my first shift, I slept
very well and got close to 7 hours of sleep as I was very tired. The next three nights I made myself go to
bed at 10:00 pm., to get the 7 hours of sleep that I needed. This was easy because each night that I came
home that week, I was very exhausted and could not keep my open past 10:00 anyway. The other
downside that I realized about working long hours, is that I only got to spend an hour or two a day with
my family members. Id get home at 8:00 pm and have to go to bed 2 hours later. I survived and I have
made a promise to myself not to work 4 days in a row when I am employed as a nurse!
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
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 Daniel is balancing his school work, clinical hours, and his employment schedule nicely. He is putting
in 10-20 hours with his job at the VA. He reports getting 6 hours of sleep per day. He is relaxing on the
evenings that he has off and is spending as much time as possible with his girlfriend.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

5
To get at least 7 hours of sleep either before or after a 12-hour clinical preceptorship shift.

Comments on Activity:

I found it somewhat difficult to get 7 hours of sleep when I had back-to-back shifts. It was hard to force
myself to go to bed only two hours after getting home from the days shift. I needed some time to
unwind from the day even though I was physically and mentally tired. I found it necessary to have some
dinner, shower, and talk to my family instead of forcing myself to sleep. I did sleep well after going to
bed, but I truthfully only got 5 to 6 hours of sleep on nights in between two or three consecutive 12-hr
shifts.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Daniel is acclimating well to working night shifts. He is getting less sleep than I am, but seems to be
fairing much better than myself with regards to sleep deprivation! He still finds time to spend with his
girlfriend and is working about 20-hrs a week at the V.A. He and his girlfriend go out for dinner about
2-3 times per week to unwind.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

6
Still trying to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

Comments on Activity:

This is getting better as my schedule has been more widely spread out throughout the week. I may have
two consecutive days to work here and there, but I dont have any more 3 and 4-day stretches in a row!
Working 3 and 4-days in a row is nuts!! I will NOT be doing this when I get hired on unless there is a
long stretch of days off following (a reward). When I have the following day off from a shift, I am
getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. Thankfully, I hve not felt any drastic signs of fatigue and I am
able to be sharp while on shift. I spend considerable time relaxing on the couch and watching TV on my
first day of consecutive days off. On the second and (rare) third consecutive days off, I am my normal,
busy self, doing chores and spending as much time as possible outdoors with my family and friends.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Daniel has interviewed and received a RN position at the VA!! He is thrilled, and I am happy for him.
His demeanor is as steady as ever. Nothing seems to bother this man and even though he is 20 years my
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 junior, I have come to respect him greatly for the way he carries himself. When I ask him if he is having
any difficulties or needs any help, he usually and calmly replies nah, Dunc.Im good man! I like
checking in with Daniel every few days just to make sure. I think this helps me more than him, though!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

7
Tried to spend some significant time outdoors (in nature) this week.

Comments on Activity:

This weather has been awesome, and I am taking full advantage of it. I mowed the grass twice this week
already, since it rained the other night. I want to go camping for a night or two, but with my familys
crazy schedule, thats not going to happen. So, Im spending every possible moment outside. I have my
morning coffee outside as Im checking my daily emails. Dunc and I went fishing for a few hours the
other night (we got skunked). Ive been keeping up on all my assignments, which I do on my laptop on
the back patio. I need to catch up on the readings and power points from both classes, before that comes
back to bite me!

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

I shared with Daniel that I have an interview coming up for a possible position in Trauma ICU. He has
been very helpful in calming my nerves and has given me quite a few pointers on the interview process.
We have been sharing our war stories from our recent clinical rotations and I think that helps us both
to retain our sanity. He spent a day in the Phoenix area this past week watching his brother run a cross-
country meet. He spent time with his family, as they live in the Phoenix area as well. We remind each
other to take time for ourselves and not to forget to eat and sleep well.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

8
Sleep at least 7 hours per night and spend as much time in nature as possible.

Comments on Activity:

I have finished up my last week of clinicals with a bang! I have acquired a new-grad position in the
Trauma ICU in the spring. This is contingent upon me passing the NCLEX test in early Feb. 18. I have
come so far while here at the CON, and dont plan to let off the gas for a second. Exams and numerous
assignments are coming due very soon, so I am trying to balance my time wisely for this. I have been
getting plenty of sleep lately and Im still spending a lot of time outside. Lil Dunc and I went to the
Sahuarita Pecan Festival this past weekend and had a blast! I think taking a day off from school/work
life is important for self-care and these last 7 8 weeks have proven that. I have worked very hard the
past couple of days, catching up on all my assignments and preparing for upcoming Kaplan exams. I

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 think because of self-care, journaling and the work-school-life balance that I have been practicing, I will
do expectedly well. I have a new-found respect for all three of these!

Complete Survey Below

(Once Completed submit entire document to D2L Assignment Drop box by Due date and add to Your
Portfolio.)

Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

Balance. I must take care of myself. There is a work-school-life

balance in most of our lives today. If we slack off on any of these,
the others are sure to suffer. The journaling for me, has had a
profound impact on me, these last 5 weeks. Journaling on this
assignment and other assignments has been pivotal for my sanity
and overall personal well-being. Im humbled and grateful for how
effective self-care and journaling really are. It works, it really does!

Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?

Overall, my stress level has been significantly reduced in comparison from prior semesters. Even with
all the clinical hours recently, I have been fairly, level-headed. There have been instances of severe
stress these last 5 weeks, but I have a found a solution with respect to the self-care and journaling
assignments.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I will not push myself so hard. I will strive to maintain a balance in life. Ive learned to give myself a
break and to not be so hard on myself. It seems so simple, yet for years I have suffered because I did not
make use of self-care practices. I think that I much more effective and productive now that I have put
self-care practices to good use.

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 Comments/suggestions:

Share my experiences and thoughts on this assignment with any future student. Let them know a
stubborn old (older) man had to learn the hard way. Even if they think that self-care and journaling are
just goofy assignments, they are meant to HELP you. They certainly helped me. Tell them from me:
it works, it really does!

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with these statements:
Following an evidence-based recommendation to reduce burnout was valuable to me.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This 8-week intervention will help me implement preventative strategies for burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This Panopto presentation titled: Nurse Burnout: What this is and how you can minimize it in your careers
effectively taught me how I can reduce and address nurse burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

Completing the Big Five Personality Test was helpful for exploring my risk of nurse burnout.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

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