First Responders First - Stressors for nurses outside the workplace

Constant exposure to these stressors, or constantly feeling stressed, can negatively affect a nurse’s mental health.For example, Briana is a nurse manager at a pediatric specialty clinic.

When COVID-19 hit, many policies at childcare centers changed. Children were often sent home at the first possibility of illness, putting a lot of stress on Briana to figure out childcare.

She and her co-workers worked to save PTO days in anticipation of when schools or childcare centers closed, and while not an ideal or permanent solution, this allowed Briana and her co-workers to be prepared for challenges ahead.

This situation isn’t unique to COVID-19. Nurses often work long hours throughout their careers and arranging childcare can be stressful.

Coordinating work schedules with parents or extended family can be tricky, and using professional childcare services can be expensive, particularly for single-parent households.

In some cases, it may not be possible to pay for professional childcare, and you may need to make career decisions, such as moving to an outpatient unit with shorter working hours, to accommodate your family circumstances.Besides childcare, there will likely be a number of other financial stressors you may face.

The cost of living in some cities may be higher than expected, making it difficult to live within your planned budget in an area close to work.

Combined with long shift work schedules, long commutes could further increase childcare costs while also decreasing available time to spend with family and raise children.

All of these stressors can weigh heavily on a natural caregiver. If you’re experiencing any of these stressors, talk with your family and friends and see if any creative solutions can be arranged, such as a friend picking up your children from school and supervising them on workdays, and you can do the same for them on your days off.

Alternatively, talk with your leadership team to see what options are available for your financial situation or your parental commitments.Particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have been confronted with the fear of bringing an infectious agent from their workplace to their home.

The potential need for isolation during illness or the recovery period can be extremely disruptive to a family. Similarly, if a family member has complex health needs or falls ill, nurses can frequently find themselves performing their nursing roles at home.

All this extra work can increase a nurse’s risk for burnout, even if they aren’t working full-time hours. If you’re responsible for the care of loved ones and are unable to rest during your time off, if possible, try to split caretaking roles with other family members, or suggest they take on other roles around the house to lower your own workload at home.Just like everyone else, nurses may have their own psychological health issues they face on a daily basis, whether that involves dealing with a visible or invisible disability, coping with feelings of social isolation, or attending to other existing mental health issues.

These stressors require significant mental and emotional energy to manage and, when coupled with the numerous other stressors nurses face, may feel overwhelming.

If you are feeling overwhelmed and have a support network such as friends, coworkers, and family, discuss your feelings and concerns with them.

You can also call, text, or live chat with a mental health hotline, even if you’re not in a crisis but need someone to listen.

Some services in the United States include: Crisis Text Line, The Samaritans, the Mental Health America Hotline, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.To recap, nurses will likely experience a number of stressors outside of work that may affect them in the workplace.

Coordinating schedules, providing childcare, adjusting to the complicated logistics caused by an increased cost of living, and caring for family members are all challenges that are heightened during the COVID-19 response.

Finally, nurses may also experience stress from existing mental health issues or visible or invisible disabilities. Strategies to reduce these stressors largely point to seeking support from family and friends or speaking with leadership to make changes to your work schedule.

Alternatively, if you are beginning to feel overwhelmed, there are help services to call, text, or live chat for support, even if you are not in crisis.