NURSE: Five Micropractices to Reduce Stress.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Occupational Health
• Psychology

Background:

• The Coronavirus pandemic significantly increased stress levels for frontline healthcare workers, particularly radiology nurses.
• Existing literature highlights the effects of stress on nurses but lacks specific interventions to mitigate its impact.
• Mindful interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing stress in various fields, including sports, neuroscience, and positive psychology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the physiological and psychological effects of stress on nurses.
• To outline the tangible and intangible costs of unmanaged stress in the nursing profession.
• To introduce five time-efficient self-care micropractices (NURSE) for nurses.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on the effects of stress and self-care interventions.
• Identification and summarization of the costs associated with unmanaged stress in nursing.
• Development of five "NURSE" self-care micropractices requiring minimal time.

Main Results:

• Unmanaged stress among nurses leads to significant tangible and intangible costs.
• Brief periods of self-care can effectively reduce stress and cortisol levels.
• The proposed NURSE micropractices are designed to be integrated into a nurse's existing routine without requiring additional time.

Conclusions:

• Implementing the NURSE self-care micropractices can enhance nurses' overall well-being.
• Improved nurse well-being can contribute to higher retention rates within the nursing profession.
• Enhanced nurse well-being ultimately leads to improved patient care outcomes.