Holistic Nursing Tips for Coping with Stress in the Workplace

Many of us experience some degree of stress in the workplace, but ironically, nurses (who help treat patients suffering from stress related illnesses) are experiencing stress at a much higher rate than most other groups, according to a study conducted by the American Nurses Association. In the study, 70.5 percent of nurses cited the effects of stress and overwork among their top three health and safety concerns.

We think you can relate to some of the reasons why, even if you're not a nurse. They include: workload, inadequate staff coverage, time pressure, relationship with other staff, leadership/management style, excessive noise, lack of influence in decision making...and that's just to name a few. 

While nurses as a whole are suffering from stress, a nursing specialty group called "holistic nursing" offers a refreshing perspective on how to heal yourself from the stress plaguing your life.

Holistic nursing views all parts of a human being as inseparable and interconnected. Our mental, emotional, physical and social/relational aspects are all intertwined and interconnected, according to the American Holistic Nursing Association. In other words, what affects one part of yourself will influence all the other parts too, so by engaging in a variety of positive and anti-stressful activities, you will be reducing the stress in the other areas of your life. 

Holistic nurses suggest some of the following activities for coping with stress in a healthy way:

• Yoga and Tai Chi
• Meditation/Prayer
• Nutritional Counseling
• Art, Music, and Dance
• Journaling
• Cognitive Restructuring
• Diaphragmatic Breathing

To read about some of these methods, as well as other stress reduction exercises, visit the American Holistic Nurses Association. Do you have a stress reduction technique that's worked for you? Tell us about it!