Care for the caregiver: the art of self-care

Self-care is that self-initiated behavior that people choose to incorporate into their daily lives. The purpose of self-care is to promote health and general well-being. In today's stressful health care environment, including the perioperative setting, nurses have good reason to revisit the benefits of self-care. Nurses teach or recommend self-care to others, and some nurses practice self-care techniques ranging from relaxation to aerobic exercise. However, while many health care providers understand the benefits of self-care, they do not care for themselves adequately. This article incorporates a holistic view of self-care and reviews common strategies that perioperative nurses may consider to improve the quality of their lives and to reduce stress.