Editor's
Note
Practice
what you preach
Make
a resolution to model healthy behaviors
Carol Bradley, MSN,
RN, California Editor
January
8, 2001
Most
of us know, especially if you are a parent, that "do
as I say, not as I do" is not an effective means of
influencing behavior. As nurses, we are frequently in the
position of teaching and counseling patients, with the hope
of altering their behaviors toward a healthier lifestyle,
or effecting compliance with a treatment regimen.
However,
as our society has become more focused on self-care – preventive
and proactive health-related activities – nurses are coaches
and educators for an increasingly information-savvy patient
population. I wonder how these patients view their nurses?
Are we serving as good role models? Should we think about
taking some of our own advice?
Nurses
have stressful jobs, work unusual hours and sometimes do
not get enough sleep, exercise or healthy food. Surely nurses
do not smoke anymore? It seems that taking care of ourselves
in the midst of taking care of others can be a challenge.
The beginning of a new year is a good time to get focused
on some of those personal health goals.
Go ahead,
you deserve to be downright selfish and attend to you for
a while. This issue of NurseWeek is designed for
that very purpose. I hope you find something you can use
to address your personal needs. I certainly have set a few
goals for myself this year!
The
health of nurses will be a growing area of concern. As a
profession, nursing will be challenged by the declining
health and physical capacity of our aging workforce. Our
approach to our work life is overdue for some changes.
The
work patterns and schedules that have been embedded in our
lives do not need to remain as they are. Eventually, 12-hour
shifts need to be evaluated for their potential impact on
fatigue and error despite their assumed value.
The
physical demands of nursing will become increasingly significant
with more acutely ill patients flooding the floors of hospitals
and less support personnel to pick up the slack. Injury
in the workplace has always concerned employers, but will
heighten in importance as our presence at the bedside becomes
more risk-filled as we age.
While
most of us consider personal health our own responsibility,
the enlightened employer of the future will strive to develop
and design work environments that are conducive to supporting
a healthy but more mature nursing workforce.
In the
meantime, we should all work toward adopting the lifestyle
changes that we so often coach patients on. I know what
I need to be doing this year – how about you?
