Self care is important especially working in high stress health care jobs. self assessment is important, and developing tools to check yourself and your team's health is important.

1. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Greg Riehl RN BScN MAPC-IIC
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST)
Introduction Develop a tool for yourself or your team Statement of Commitment to Co-workers Conclusions
We all work in stressful environments and our emotions You don’t always have to fix ‘it’, and you don’t have to
Sample Tool - What do you do to check yourself?
affect us, our colleagues, our clients, and our workplace As your co-worker with a shared goal of providing excellent be the hero.
During the past week or so -
overall. Identifying and dealing with our own emotions, service to people and families, I commit the following:
•I have had trouble sleeping. Y_N_ You do need to look after yourself and your co-
pain, and stress can help us to be better leaders within •I have had crying spells (I am a sensitive person). Y_N_ workers
•I will accept responsibility for establishing and maintaining healthy
our organizations. Checking yourself is a first step in •I have been mean to my partner (or students, co-workers). Y_N_
caring for yourself - ensuring you do not burn out - so interpersonal relationships with you and every member of this staff.
•I have been more sarcastic than usual. Y_N_
you can do your job better in the tough arena of patient •I have been seriously considering a job/career change. Y_N_
•I will talk to you promptly if I am having a problem with you. The
care. We all need to take the time to assess our physical, •On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not stressful” to 10 being
mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. only time I will discuss it with another person is when I need advice
“extremely stressful,” my current level of stress is _______ .
or help in deciding how to communicate with you appropriately.
•On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “very healthy” to 10 being “very
ill,” my current health compared to what it was this time last year is •I will establish and maintain a relationship of functional trust with
_______ .
you and every member of this staff. My relationships with each of
•I have trouble remembering my drive home from work. Y _ N _
you will be equally respectful, regardless of job titles or levels of
•I have forgotten to pee. Y _ N _
Reflective Practice educational preparation.
•I have consumed more alcohol than I know I should. Y _ N _ Find B A L A N C E
•I have difficulty focusing when shifting from one task to another. Y
•I will not engage in the '3B's (bickering, back-biting and bitching)
_N_ Manage your energy – not your time
and will ask you not to as well.
•Do you find yourself thinking about work at home? Y _ N _
•Do you find it difficult to leave work thoughts or planning at Self Care -Ultimately it is up to you
•I will not complain about another team member and ask you not to
work? Y _ N _
as well. If I hear you doing so, I will ask you to talk to that person. A conclusion is simply a place where you stopped
Cha t tae sl a incr a oft go unnot
nges ha r ow nd ement l en iced being creative.
•I will accept you as you are today, forgiving past problems, and ask
you to do the same with me. Literature cited
Materials and Methods Results •I will be committed to finding solutions to problems rather than Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time
Tony Schwartz, Catherine McCarthy
complaining about them or blaming someone, and ask you to do the
Harvard Business Review 11 pages.
Literature Review – self care Health systems need healthy providers – before we can put patients same. Publication date: Oct 01, 2007. Prod. #: R0710B-PDF-ENG
first!
Qualitative questionnaire - Snowball Sampling •I will affirm your contribution to quality service.
Knowing what your philosophy is can help support your practice
and preserve you. •I will remember that neither of us is perfect, and that human errors
Dissemination of Commitment to Co-workers
are opportunities not for shame or guilt, but for forgiveness and
Knowing who you can turn to for feedback is important. growth.
Communication and Feedback
http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesign#tips
Consider seeing a doctor, nurse, or someone you trust for a check- (Adapted from Marie Manthey, President of Creative Nursing Management in Caroline Flint's
Midwifery Teams and Caseloads 1993; p. 138)
Client first or Provider first? in and a check-up.
Acknowledgments
Givers and Takers – are you in balance? Consider having some relief from care-giving. It is good if all workplaces could develop a similar statement, and I would like to thank Susanne, Laurel, Johnny M,
even have your co-workers sign it & post if for your clients to see. MTV, Lynn, Meaghan, the RNs I have learned from
Develop ‘Self Assessment’ to help prevent Burnout Discuss with a social worker the resources available in your and worked with, and the First Nations Cree and
community. This will help you be accountable to each other, and ultimately look Dene elders of Saskatchewan who have shared their
How does culture impact self care? after yourself in the long run. wisdom, guidance and teachings.
Consider starting or joining a support group for care-givers.
“Everybody knows it, nobody talks about it, and it’s not
written down – that’s culture – and it can be supportive or
unhelpful.”
For further information
Please contact greg.riehl@siast.sk.ca