“Help! I just had a hard shift on the unit and I need to recharge before I quit!”

Hard shifts are just as hard as they sound, they’re usually more difficult and stressful than the typical shift on the unit.

Maybe a patient passed away? Maybe it was a kid or unexpected? Maybe the charge nurse gave you an extremely hard assessment? Maybe you didn’t get the help you needed from the techs?

If any of these scenarios resonated with you, you’re not alone. As nurses, we have hard jobs, more stressful than most other professions. So when we have a “hard” shift, 9 times out of 10 it is more difficult than the average human will have to endure in other fields or occupations, because lives are on the line! 

Based on the Department of Labor’s ranking of the 873 most stressful jobs in the nation, 9 different types of nurses were ranked with a stress level of almost 90% or greater. 

As nurses, we are at risk of burnout at a rate of 62% according to a 2022 statistic from the American Nurses Association. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s higher than that with the post-pandemic changes to healthcare. 

In this article, I’m going to discuss how nurses can recharge after a hard shift.

How to Recharge After a Hard Shift?

1. Assess yourself:

• What happened today that was difficult?
  • What was the specific situation or contributor to your difficult shift?
  • This can be a form of debriefing as you pinpoint what happened on your shift.  
• What were the highlights of my shift?
  • This changes your focus from negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Remember, you are a good nurse! Focus on the positives. Try to identify 3 highlights of your shift.  
• Am I okay? (Is is Time for Therapy or PTO?)
  • It’s okay if you’re not okay. You’re not a robot and your emotions and feelings remind you that you’re human.
  • Do you need to take time off? This may be a great time to utilize your Paid Time Off (PTO) or as I say, “Prepare the Others”.
  • Don’t be afraid to call off for your mental health. 
  • As an encouraging reminder, it’s okay to seek help. Look for resources through your company such as employee assistance programs for counselors. Your employer may offer a certain amount of free or reduced-cost counseling sessions.
  • If not, click here for FREE resources available to healthcare providers.

2. Leave It at Work

Your shift is over and you have to leave work at work. Remember that nursing is 24-hour care, so you do the best you can to provide safe patient care and then you have to hand it off. Trust your good workflow habits and rest on the fact that you are a good nurse!

3. Meet Your Basic Needs First

Do you remember learning about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in nursing school? Just to jog your memory…

According to the hierarchy of human needs, we have certain needs that must be met and satisfied first. The diagram below shows Maslow’s hierarchy of needs starting from the bottom of the pyramid and working upwards.

With this in mind, our physiological needs must be prioritized and met first before we can focus on anything else. So our actions must start with meeting our basic requirements of food, water, sleep, and shelter. 

• Food- Did you eat today? Start by treating yourself to a good nutritious meal.    
• Water- Did you drink any water today? During a hard shift, you probably were so busy that you barely drank any water. 
• Shower- How does a nice shower or bubble bath sound to wash off the day?
• Sleep- Make sure you get some good rest to recharge your mind!  

4. Practice Self-Care

• Get some sunlight and find time to go out into nature.
  • You just spent 12+ hours inside a hospital or facility so the sun can be rejuvenating. Take a walk outside, go hiking, or do some gardening.   
• Journal
  • This can be a great way to practice gratitude and self-asses. A journal prompt that I love and have found effective, involves the 4 G’s.
  • Ask yourself these 4 prompts:
    1. What grated me today?
    2. What am I grateful for?
    3. What are my goals?
    4. What am I giving? 
• Try reading 
• Exercise
  • I know you’re thinking, more movement? Even though you’ve been on your feet, surprisingly working out can be a great stress reliever! 
• Hang out with friends and family
  • As you disconnect from work, connect with loved ones. We are creatures of connection, so once you disconnect from work, connect with those who love and support you. While they may not understand what happened during your shift, they can help to fill you back up. 
• Listen to music 
• Do the hobby that you enjoy 
• Pray or meditate 
• Get a massage 

The self-care bingo card is a fun way to embrace self-care routinely!

5. Avoid Poor Coping Habits

Poor coping habits may give you temporary relief from the hardships of a stressful job or shift, but they will not sustain you. Over time leaning into these habits can cause additional health issues as well as feelings of emptiness. You’ll find yourself in an unhealthy cycle of living to work when using these poor coping habits to deal with the stressors of your job.

Here is a list of 11 poor coping habits that you should avoid after a hard shift:

1. Drugs 
2. Alcohol  
3. Avoidance and Denial 
4. Self-harm
5. Negative self-talk 
6. Emotional eating or binge eating
7. Isolation 
8. Procrastination 
9. Picking up extra shifts 
10. Excessive screen time (Example: scrolling endlessly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, or other forms of media)
11. Aggression 

Conclusion

In conclusion, since we know that nursing is a stressful profession, we must give ourselves grace and know that it’s okay not to feel okay or even frustrated. As nurses in order to prepare for the hard days, we must take time for ourselves daily and establish healthy routines. Treat yourself like you treat your patients and give yourself the quality care you need. As the famous saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. We carry a big responsibility in caring for others, so it’s extremely important that we feel recharged and rejuvenated for the next day of work. 

How do you recharge after a hard shift? 

Comment below and share your thoughts!