Care for me? Say wah?!
Yes, it IS possible to care for yourself AND your patients!
I know how hard it can be some days to get your break, I do.
I was that typical person who worked through breaks because ‘I’ll just see room 3 before I go’ ‘I JUST have to do that blood pressure’ ‘I’ll just check to see if they’ve fed yet’, nek minnit it’s been an hour and it seems more worthwhile to push through until lunch.
Except…by the time I’m ready to go, it’s so close to handover I might as well wait, give handover and leave early.
Does this sound familiar?
If there were still jobs to do, I’d quickly try to do them to help out the next shift because I KNEW it would be a sh* t show for them.
Walking out the door by 4 was a bonus some days! And don’t get me started on the post-12hr night slump…
I know I’m not unique in this and it took me a really long time of grinding to prioritise myself on a shift over-shock horror-my patients!
Let’s talk about preparing for a shift, getting in the door, moving through your day and winding it all up (often to go do our second “shift” at home!), so we can preserve our energy and motivation for our J-O-B.
Preparation
have your uniform ready sitting out of the cupboard in the bathroom
shoes at the door, socks in your shoeskeys/ID badge/bag ready to go
extra pens in your bag
Getting in the door
taking a deep, diaphragmatic breath BEFORE starting handover
repeat this regularly throughout the day
use the power of affirmations to work in your favour!
Working your way through
schedule in your breaks on your planner or patient folder in direct eye-sight
go off the ward for your break, put the phone down and enjoy this time
step outside for some fresh air
Wrapping it all up
if you’ve missed your breaks, eat and drink before you leave
jot down some key words to debrief and off-load emotion from the shift
if necessary, sit and write it ALL out before you leave
move your body in any way-take the stairs, walk around the block before heading to your car/transport home
Remember, you can only care for your patients according to your capacity, which must be the priority.
Links and Resources:
Enter the Midwive reset Giveaway HERE
*This giveaway closes on January 8th, 2023*
Download ‘The Midwives post-shift debrief:ultimate energy saver on-the-go!’ HERE
Join the waitlist for our online course RECALIBRATE