Self-Care for New and Student Nurses - by Dorrie K Fontaine & Tim Cunningham & Natalie May Paperback

About the Book

"Self-Care for New and Student Nurses presents self-care practices that must be learned and used consistently and in multiple settings to prepare new nurses for the clinical stressors to come. Filled with methods, tips, and exercises, this book will guide new and student nurses to prioritize their own health needs in order to avoid burnout and premature exit from the nursing profession"--

Book Synopsis

Awarded second place in the 2021 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Professional Development!

Self-care. Well-being. Resilience. Happiness. Self-compassion.

These are among today's self-help buzzwords. There are countless books, articles, and podcasts on these topics, and many of them are essential resources for anyone seeking solid footing in the world today. Self-care remains an imperative for nurses and other healthcare professionals as burnout, high attrition rates, emotional fatigue, and moral distress loom large over us, especially in the age of COVID-19. The people who so compassionately care for others are in dire need of care themselves.

Self-care practices are important because we need you.

We need all the gifts that you bring to the nursing profession. Your future patients need you. Your future colleagues need you. We need you to become the best nurse you can possibly be so that you can support other young nurses as they, too, enter this profession. Nursing will afford you daily interactions that will change the lives of your patients, strengthen the resolve of your colleagues, and ripple beyond your immediate circle to surprising places. The gifts that you bring are beyond measure.

Imagine for a moment a patient who is a young mother. Perhaps she is facing her health challenges while trying to be strong for her children and partner. The kindness, wisdom, and support that you bring to your interactions with her will have a downstream impact on her children and family. Even her children's children. Think about yourself or your nursing school peers who, when asked why they wanted to become a nurse, tell a story about growing up and seeing a nurse who cared for them or a loved one during a health crisis. So many nurses are nurses because they experienced the compassion of someone like you when they were in need. These nurses' compassion may have started you on your own journey to nursing, even though they may never know the impact they had on you. That is one of the superpowers of nursing: the impact you have on others. You will matter in ways big and small, in ways that the universe may never even be able to reveal to you.

But here is the hard, honest truth: while you have chosen one of the most noble professions, you have also chosen one of the most difficult. In your career, you will face challenges big and small, whether it is a problematic coworker, the death of a favorite patient, or a global pandemic. You will have bad days or weeks when you ask yourself why you didn't choose a less demanding path in life. You will experience exhaustion, frustration, and grief. You will balance not only your nursing responsibilities, but also your commitments to your family and community. But as you question your life choices and wonder how you can take one more step forward, that voice inside you will whisper, "You are a nurse."

Our goal in writing this book is that you never have to betray that voice. No matter what comes your way, you will have the strength, skills, and resilience to keep moving forward. But let us be clear: we do not want you to move forward at the expense of yourself or your well-being. We want you to move forward with wisdom and clarity of purpose by using every resource you can muster. We hope that what is contained in this book will become a valuable resource throughout the early years of your career, and even beyond.

We welcome you on this journey, and we hope you welcome the opportunity to explore the concept of self-care, what it means, what works best for you, and how it can help you flourish in good times and help you grow in difficult ones. We are especially grateful, and humbled, that we can do it with you.

Review Quotes

"In Self-Care for New and Student Nurses, Dorrie Fontaine and colleagues have compiled a compendium of resources relevant to all nurses engaged in clinical prac-tice, education, and leadership. In elevating the necessity of self-care, the authors acknowledge the reality that while nursing is one of the most noble professions, it is also one of the most difficult. From working in a global pandemic to countering systemic racism, the book identifies anticipatory challenges and provides tools and resources for self-care and leadership. This is an astonishingly rich and relevant text that truly should be required in every nursing program. If widely adopted, this text has the potential to transform the profession."

-Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAANDirector, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & HealingProfessor, University of Minnesota School of Nursing

"Our work as nurses brings gladness into our lives and, at the same time, meets some of the world's greatest needs. But because these needs are so great, the work's demands can threaten this gladness. Self-Care for New and Student Nurses teaches us all, including seasoned nurses, practices that safeguard our gladness. It is a timely and exigent wellness handbook. I highly recommend it."

-Mark Lazenby, PhD, APRN, FAANHe, him, hisProfessor of Nursing and PhilosophyAssociate Dean for Faculty and Student AffairsUniversity of Connecticut School of Nursing

"A rare intersection of essential, practical, science-based, and aspirational wisdom! Readers will appreciate the genuine emphasis on whole-person self-care and a focus on organizational aspects of healthcare that still require advocacy and effort. The authors provide a 360-degree view of self-care for student nurses that is also highly relevant and engaging for nursing faculty and clinical preceptors. A guide that readers can turn to repeatedly for renewed insights and inspiration."

-Teri Pipe, PhD, RNASU Chief Well-Being OfficerFounding Director, ASU Center for Mindfulness, Compassion and ResilienceDean Emerita and ProfessorEdson College of Nursing and Health InnovationArizona State University

"This book blends current scientific evidence with practical strategies to empower not only students and new-to-practice nurses but also experienced nurses in building resilience and enduring life skills that are as important as any learned in the simulation lab. Introduce this book early in their program and integrate it throughout to guide discussions of professionalism, nursing identity, patient and self-advocacy, and team-based care. It is life changing!"

-Kathleen McCauley, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAHAProfessor of Cardiovascular NursingFormer Associate Dean for Academic ProgramsNewCourtland Center for Transitions and HealthUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

"A rich and powerful book on the importance of self-care for nurses and practices that enhance resilience and well-being. This is a must-read for every nurse!"

-Rev. Joan Jiko HalifaxAbbot, Upaya Zen CenterSanta Fe, New Mexico