Managing Stress & Self-Care During COVID-19

You will have reactions, such as anxiety, stress, or grief, to the increased and persistent stressors and potential trauma you are encountering.

Exercise self-compassion – almost everyone impacted by an emergency will experience psychological distress.

Nurses may experience excessive stress or other mental health impacts during this time. It is not a sign of weakness.

It is easy to play up the importance of self-care to our patients while downplaying it to ourselves. Resist that urge. Give yourself permission to schedule even a few moments for self-care each day.

Help is available if symptoms you are experiencing impact your ability to provide care to your patients and your family in the same way you did before the pandemic.

Connect with your purpose: Acknowledge the crucial and noble work you are doing.

Create ongoing supportive connections with your colleagues to help validate and normalize your experiences.

Coping with Moral Distress

Many nurses are encountering unprecedented circumstances that may cause moral injury. This moral distress can be difficult to cope with and you may need additional support to address the damage it can cause. Symptoms of moral distress include self-criticism and intense feelings of shame, guilt, or disgust. It can also contribute to depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Early support is key for addressing trauma from moral distress. Strategies include team support to discuss the challenges of providing care for patients, regular contact from supervisors, briefing on moral injuries, and more. More information about identifying and coping with negative moral effects.