Tennessee Nurse - May 2021

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Page 10 Tennessee Nurse May, June, July 2021 Nurses Well-Being Please Tell Me Your Story Brittany Haskell, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CNE Vanderbilt University School of Nursing “Since COVID arrived at our doors in February 2020, I have been taking care of this patient population. Initially, you had that heightened sense of anxiety and apprehension of not knowing what to expect. A lot of that was due to the fact that it was new, just that situational anxiety. A lot of it also was the fact that so much was going on Brittany Haskell in the news, like information overload. The anxiety wasn’t just for me. It was also for my husband and also worrying that I might expose somebody. Workwise, everyone was kind of on edge just trying to figure out what to expect in general.” Critical care nurse Chelsea Riddlespur has spent the last year working between a medical intensive care unit (MICU) and coronavirus 2019 intensive care unit (COVID-19 ICU) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. This is a snapshot of her story during the COVID-19 pandemic. She continues on to explain the stress of initially not knowing how best to care for patients, the emotional toll of caring for patients without the support of their family, and the grief over difficult patient losses. Meanwhile, in her personal life, Chelsea was navigating a custody arrangement with their stepchild and starting graduate school. While working with COVID-19 patients has been challenging, Chelsea notes that some aspects are rewarding, such as meeting the social and emotional needs of her patients creatively and celebrating health improvements. Chelsea has been fortunate to work on a unit with a strong culture of supportive collaboration, including clear communication and adaptability to change. One of those changes is offering psychological support for nurses through a scheduled time for connection and storytelling. During a year when nurses have experienced so much, it is time to share and listen to those stories. Psychological effects of COVID-19 on nurses Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for nurses in both their professional and personal lives. Repeatedly, the nursing workforce around the globe has been found to be psychologically affected by the COVID-19 climate. Nurses have and continue to experience increased stressors, including limited access to personal protective equipment, increased NOW SEEKING experienced RNs patient volume and intensity at work, ever-changing healthcare protocols, social isolation, and caregiver role strain. These factors create a perfect storm for an increase in mood symptoms, like depression and anxiety, and trauma responses, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After a year of working during a pandemic, chronic stress is leading to an inevitable increase in compassion fatigue and burnout, which has the potential to negatively impact patient care and health outcomes. Healthcare executives, healthcare systems, and communities are aware of the psychological effects COVID-19 has had on nurses, which has led to an increasing call for support. While they recognize that psychological support is needed, they are still struggling to find the best ways to offer that support. A Renewed Interest in Mental Health A benefit of the pandemic has been a renewed emphasis on the psychological well-being of the nursing workforce. National and global healthcare related organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Nurses Association, and World Health Organization, have launched or enhanced resources to aid healthcare employee mental health. In addition, healthcare organizations have taken an interest in broadening accessible psychological support services for employees, such as offering continuing education, informational emails, and access to mental health resources. While these structural supports are beneficial, they do not provide concrete and applicable tools that nurses can use to support each other on a daily basis. Nurses have the potential to serve as a source of psychological support to each other, but they need the time, space, and healthy workplace culture to do so. What is storytelling? Storytelling, also called narrative pedagogy, is an approach to teaching and learning resulting from lived experiences. Storytelling is not a new phenomenon, having been used by nearly every culture dating back to 1000 BC. Storytelling in nursing has been found to engage listeners, promote empathy, enhance a feeling of community, allow exploration of shared experiences, and enhance discussion. All of which are desperately needed for nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Naturally, storytelling is combined with reflection, which uses contemplation to create meaning from lived experiences for enhanced learning. Storytelling is frequently used in nursing education but is underutilized for nurses in practice experiencing • Progressive 247-bed Regional Referral Center • 200 Physicians representing 40 specialties • Ranked #1 in Patient Safety in TN Contact: Christy Kinnard • 931.783.2010 1 Medical Center Boulevard • Cookeville, TN 38501 931.528.2541 • crmchealth.org/apply COMPETITIVE SALARY • EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS • SIGN-ON BONUS • RELOCATION ALLOWANCE EOE a chronically stressful work environment, like nurses working during COVID-19. During a workday, a nurse may listen to dozens of patient stories, but rarely have an opportunity to share and listen to the stories of their peers, which needs to change. Nurses need to be empowered to take time to share their stories, which necessitates support by healthcare administration, hospital systems, and communities. Implementing Storytelling When COVID-19 cases decline in the future, the experiences and stories of nurses like Chelsea’s will still exist. Nurses have lived experiences over the past year that have the potential to start the healing process through storytelling and listening, but they need a safe space to be able to share. For storytelling to begin, the nursing work environment needs to normalize sharing nursing experiences, which includes decreasing stigma surrounding the stressors and subsequent psychological distress presented by COVID-19. Nurses and nurse managers are integral parts of that process to shift to a culture of experience inclusion. Storytelling can happen in many different ways – in person during scheduled meetings or debrief times, through a virtual format, or even through videos or journaling. Chelsea shared that her unit started Compassionate Caregiver Stress Sessions, which is a weekly designated time for nurses to share stories and provide support to each other. She also noted that storytelling can be embedded into unit activities through debrief sessions after difficult patient situations. Any participation is beneficial. Not every nurse is going to want to share their story, but healing can still happen through listening. In addition, nurses are not going to be the only ones benefitted by sharing their stories. Through storytelling, nurse managers and hospital administration can gain a better understanding of the needs of nurses, which will allow them to adapt to the evolving needs of nurses. Conclusion COVID-19 has strained the psychological wellbeing of nurses. While hospital administration and hospital systems have tried to provide the support that nurses need, nurses can also serve as a source of support for each other through storytelling. Space and time dedicated to storytelling can improve the psychological well-being for nurses now and into the future. Implementing storytelling should be considered for every healthcare setting. References Bruce, A., Daudt, H., & Breiddal, S. (2018). Can writing and storytelling foster self-care? A qualitative inquiry into facilitated dinners. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 20(6), 554-560. doi: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000000478 Carmassi, C., Foghi, C., Dell’Oste, V., Cordone, A., Bertelloni, C. A., Bui, E., & Dell’Osso L. (2020). PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers facing the three coronavirus outbreaks: what we expect after the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatric Research, 292(2020), 113312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. psychres.2020.113312 Haigh, C. & Hardy, P. (2011). Tell me a story – a conceptual exploration of storytelling in healthcare education. 31(2020), 408-411. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2010.08.001 Luo, M., Guo, L., Yu, M., Jiang, W., & Wang, H. (2020). The psychological and mental impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on medical staff and general public – a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 291(2020), 113190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113190 Phillips, C. S. & Becker, H. (2019). Systematic review: expressive arts interventions to address psychosocial stress in healthcare workers. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2019(75), 2285-2298. doi: 10.1111/jan.14043 Sigherian, K., Steege, L. M., Cobb, S. J., & Cho, H. (2020). Insomnia, fatigue and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey of hospital nursing staff in the United States. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2020(00), 1-14. doi: 10.1111/jocn.15566 Tracy, D. K., Tarn, M., Eldridge, R., Cooke, J., Calder, J. D. F., & Greenberg, N. (2020). What should be done to support the mental health of healthcare staff treating COVID-19 patients? The British Journal of Psychiatry. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2020.109
May, June, July 2021 Tennessee Nurse Page 11 TNF Auction, Merchandise, Campaigns. Oh My! TNF offers many easy ways to help support Tennessee Nurses Student Forum Raven Wentworth, DNP, RN, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, FNP-BC Tennessee Nurses Foundation (TNF) President The theme for the TNA Annual Conference in 2021 is “Year of the Nurse 2.0 - One Year Wasn’t Enough.” The conference is scheduled for October 14-16 at The Chattanoogan in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Tennessee Nurses Foundation will host a silent auction to raise funds that will support Tennessee nurses through initiatives such as scholarships, grants, leadership development, and professional health and wellness. We hope that you plan on attending the conference and will visit the silent auction area. You will have the opportunity to bid on an assortment of unique items and experiences. There will also be a “mystery wallet” and “mystery box,” which will add to the fun. Donations for the silent auction will be accepted Raven Wentworth on-site. If you have an artistic talent or a small business and would like to donate an item, you may do so at the conference. Gift baskets, home décor, Christmas and Halloween items, gift certificates, and spa kits are just a few ideas for donations to the silent auction. TNF Merchandise Available Now! TNF will be launching various campaigns throughout the year to offer nurses an assortment of nursing related t-shirts, totes, and mugs. Merchandise will be available to view at the annual conference. However, do not wait. Order today and wear your shirt to conference! You may view and purchase now at https://www.bonfire.com/store/ tennessee-nurses-foundation/ Less Than A Latte We encourage you to support TNF by making a donation to the “Less Than A Latte” campaign. It is not a secret that most nurses love coffee. After all, caffeine has been known to help a few of us survive that twelve-hour night shift. Consider supporting TNF and donating the cost of a latte or two via Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit card, text, or check. Your tax-deductible donation will help TNF’s mission to promote professional excellence in nursing. See below for details on the Less Than A Latte campaign. Your Donations Help TNF Support Tennessee Nurses The TNA District Educational Scholarship is an educational scholarship sponsored by the Tennessee Nurses Foundation (TNF) to all TNA District Associations in an amount up to $2,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2020-2021. We would like to congratulate the recipient(s) in each district as well as the winner of the 2021 Scholarly Writing Contest. Recipients will be highlighted in an upcoming issue of the Tennessee Nurse. Hey there! I’m Lesleigh Meece, the Vice-President of the Tennessee Student Nurses Association. I am currently a student in the ABSN program at Union University in Hendersonville. My story echoes that of many students enrolled in second degree programs – nursing was not my first career choice. At several points in my life, I was actually positive I would never work in healthcare. This stemmed from a load of resentment and animosity I felt toward the healthcare providers that weren’t able to save my mother’s life. June of 2001 was the start of a life that was flooded by nurses, doctors, and hospitals for years. It was the day of my mother’s car wreck. The wreck that put her in a 3-month coma and stole her ability to thrive for nine years. The wreck that ultimately took her life. For nine years I watched ER nurses, neurosurgeons, and home care nurses simultaneously Lesleigh Meece TSNA Vice President try to return normalcy to my mother and our family’s lives. When my mother passed, I was filled with so much anger towards the very nurses and doctors that worked tirelessly to care for her. I was eight years old and could not understand how this happened. In my head, saving people was their job, and they had failed. For years I was sick at the thought of going to a hospital or even visiting a doctor. It was after I began working at a medical spa in the Spring of 2018 that a career in nursing became an option. I was given the opportunity to work closely with a nurse practitioner who had recently made the transition from neurology to medical aesthetics. She shared with me some heart wrenching, triumphant, and all-around inspiring stories. I was able to peek into the mind of a healthcare provider that has worked in many fields, with many individuals. Our talks gave me a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the physical and emotional toll nursing can take on a person. My resentment turned to passion almost instantaneously. It was then that I realized there is so much more to nursing than giving baths and medicine. There are elements of emotion, passion, and understanding that are essential in helping patients and their loved ones, and that is exactly what I want to do. Within a week, I was applying to nursing programs all over Tennessee, and within two months, I received my letter of acceptance from Union University. It was a whirlwind, but I felt peace wash over me knowing that I would be able to make a positive impact on patients like my mother and families like my own. My journey to this point has been filled with twists, turns, and hard decisions, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. I am absolutely thrilled to be where I am today and with the trajectory of my future. Serving as Vice-President of TSNA has given me the opportunity to hear the stories of so many other student nurses with unconventional paths. I hope to continue to utilize this position to share the stories of RN’s and student nurses to inspire hopeful nurses. We all have our favorite beverages that we purchase once a day, or two to three times a week. Your Less Than a Latte donation will help a latte toward the Tennessee Nurses Foundation’s (TNF) mission of promoting professional excellence in nursing. You may also text your donation to (202) 858-1233 using the shortcode “Latte.” Help support a nurse by donating the cost of one, two, or three of your favorite beverages each month. Which one will you be? A donate the cost of a latte person, a “Caffeine Frenzy” person, or an “I Drink a Latte” person?
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