Introduction
•The pre-flight speech is well known, and it includes a phrase that generally says in case of emergency, to put your own oxygen mask on first, then help others. This can be extrapolated to the nursing community at large, and specifically those nurses working night or odd-hour shifts.•This project creates a seminar for nurses that creates an interactive educational setting that discusses the factors affecting personal wellness, including odd-hour and shift work, the impact of healthy personal behaviors, wellness strategies, as well as the impact on the organization and other stakeholders.•The objectives are to describe the stressors related to nursing care in the hospice environment (specifically including the impact of odd-hour and night shift work in respect to overall health) and to address health management, provide wellness tools, and distribute informational material regarding topics such as healthy foods, supplements, exercise, and alternative methods of healing
Process
Videos:
Self-Compassion Exercise:
Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff, Ph.D.
Self-Compassion Exercise: How would you treat a friend?
Please take out a sheet of paper and answer the following questions:
1.First, think about times when a close friend feels really bad about him or herself or is really struggling in some way. How would you respond to your friend in this situation (especially when you’re at your best)? Please write down what you typically do, what
you say, and note the tone in which you typically talk to your friends.
2.Now think about times when you feel bad about yourself or are struggling. How do you typically respond to yourself in these situations? Please write down what you typically do, what you say, and note the tone in which you talk to yourself.
3.Did you notice a difference? If so, ask yourself why. What factors or fears come into play that lead you to treat yourself and others so differently?
4.Please write down how you think things might change if you responded to yourself in the same way you typically respond to a close friend when you’re suffering.
Why not try treating yourself like a good friend and see what happens?
Evaluation
The Oxygen Mask Phenomenon
Evaluation Form
Participant’s name (optional): ______________________________
Circle the number to indicate your level of agreement/disagreement with the degree to which course objectives were met. Please use the scale indicated below.
Strongly agree Strongly disagree
1 2 3 4 5
This presentation increased my 1 2 3 4 5
awareness of physical issues associated with night/shift work
I have increased knowledge in 1 2 3 4 5
the areas of health and wellness strategies
The information I learned can be 1 2 3 4 5
Applied to my daily practices for a plan for my wellness success
Evaluation of faculty member: Jean Brennan, RN
Content was presented clearly 1 2 3 4 5
and effectively
Was responsive to questions/comments 1 2 3 4 5
Teaching style was effective 1 2 3 4 5
Content met stated objectives 1 2 3 4 5
Content presented was applicable 1 2 3 4 5
to my practice
Conclusion
This project emphasizes the importance of individual health as a reflection of the overall health of the company. It provided increased awareness regarding the negative health effects of shift work as well as offered various methods to improve the individual’s health to mitigate these negative effects. Using simple techniques, such as meditation, breathing techniques, guided imagery, yoga, and alternative medicine, the individual can integrate incremental daily practices to positively affect his/her health. Educating the staff by having regular classes and informational material on these practices supported the process of positive changes for the employee. Making even small healthy adjustments positively affects the individual’s health, and therefore positively affects the health of the company overall, and maybe – the world!