Nurses often work twelve-hour shifts to identify, treat, and protect the patient’s rights as well as their health. When putting everyone else’s needs before their own, nurses often struggle to find time to focus on their own physical and mental health. Additional factors that further negatively affect a Nurses’ physical, mental, and emotional health are: verbal and physical abuse from patients, workplace bullying, high workload, short staffing, and long hours. All of these factors are possible reasons why 18% of nurses in the United States are suffering from depression. Due to the culture of the nursing profession, it is often difficult for those with depression to be open about their diagnosis, causing the nurses’ mental and physical health to wear down over the years. Personal mental health is a taboo topic amongst nurses due to their profession carrying a stigma of good over-all health. Therefore, some continue to suffer in silence, others turning to medications, substance abuse, or other unhealthy remedies. My research dissects this phenomenon as well as examines proven coping mechanisms for individuals working in Healthcare.
- Poster
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Nurses work long hours to identify, treat, and protect their patients. When putting everyone else’s needs before their own, nurses often struggle to find time to focus on their own physical and mental health. My research dissects the silence among nurses regarding their mental health and provides healthy coping mechanisms.
- Physiology, Psychology, and Healthcare
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This was amazing information! Thank you so much for taking on this topic. You have some really great ideas for helping nurses reduce stress individually, and I agree that there does need to be a big change about how mental health is viewed among health care professionals. Thank you for taking the time to submit this project!
Hi Megan,
This is such a relevant and inspiring topic especially now. I wonder how cost effective it would be to try and implement a program based on your suggestive solutions on a national level? With the fractured state of the current healthcare system I wonder if it would be feasible for a program like this. Yes for nurses, but other fields in Healthcare also?
– Thank you for presenting.
I loved this presentation Megan!!! I thought this was very well put together and also had great information on what’s happening behind those closed hospital doors in terms of mental health. This also seems to be a hot topic of many presentations, thus highlighting the importance to end the stigmatization.
Well done.
Thank you for your thoughtful response. If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask!
These are wonderful questions/suggestions. I feel if the program was volunteer-based it would be more cost-effective, but then again depending on the services needed, the program may need licensed professionals. I do believe a program would be helpful to other healthcare professionals besides nurses. Thank you for your thoughts.
Thank you for your comments I am glad you enjoyed my presentation!
I enjoyed your presentation, Megan! It’s so unfortunate to hear that our healthcare workers are struggling more with their own health than most people. I really liked your news letter, as well!
Thank you for your comments Keith. I am glad you liked my presentation and newsletter!