We all know that being a nurse is not an easy job. From compassion fatigue to the pressures of staffing and policy, being a nurse in today's high-stress environment can be overwhelming for the new nurse, the seasoned nurse and all those in between. Studies have shown that as nurses care for their patients, they too feel stress and that stress can damage both their emotional and physical well-being. It’s no wonder that nurses can lose the joy they initially found in caring for others, and instead find the daily grind of nursing unbearable. What is a nurse to do?
Fortunately, there is help. Rediscover the Joy of Being a Nurse: A Holistic Approach to Recovery from Compassion Fatigue is a resilience roadmap, offering both everyday tips and holistic tools to assist nurses in reconnecting with and sustaining a sense of joy in practicing nursing. Written by Phyllis S. Quinlan, PhD, RN-BC, the book shares a variety of real world scenarios and outlines signs of compassion fatigue, while giving tangible steps that nurses can take to rediscover the joy of their profession.
The motivation behind writing this book came from Quinlan's numerous coaching sessions both privately and at conferences around the country. She was struck by the number of seasoned nurses in true pain and noted that many no longer seemed to have the same sense of mission or derive the same sense of satisfaction from rendering care as they once did. This growing apathy had unfortunately replaced their empathy and practicing nursing had become more and more of an effort for them.
The message of resilience rings loud and clear throughout the pages of Quinlan's Rediscover the Joy of Being a Nurse. Quinlan offers straightforward advice and solutions on how to return to that calling and remind you the reason you wanted to become a professional caregiver in the first place. She touches on different ways to improve one's life and provides information on topics such as feng shui and meditation that are accessible for everyone.
Quinlan has practiced nursing as a staff nurse, educator and nurse executive in a variety of clinical settings, such as emergency, acute care, skilled nursing and subacute care departments. She is one of us and speaks with a compassionate voice while conveying simple yet profound concepts about self-care for the professional caregiver.
While reading this book, you may feel as though you are having a conversation with another nurse at the nurse's station or over a cup of coffee. It's a quick read and would make a great gift to a fellow healthcare provider or nursing student.
If you've ever found yourself struggling with compassion fatigue triggered by the stress of working long hours and the responsibilities of the nursing profession, don't hesitate to grab your copy of Rediscover the Joy of Being a Nurse today!
It is available in paperback on Dr. Quinlan’s Website and on Kindle via Amazon here.