The Simple Trick I Used to Stay Present, Grounded, & Focused as an ER Nurse
You know better than anyone how demanding and fast paced our calling can be. In this video I share my story about my time as an ER Nurse and how I used compartmentalizing to make it through level-headed.
I just want to bring a little bit of information quickly, because I know we all have things to do. Here’s a trick that I used to do when I worked in the emergency room as a nurse. This trick helped me to stay present, focused and grounded.
What is that trick? This is something you can do no matter where you work in healthcare and apply it to your life, because I do. The trick it is that I would step back and try to remember not to allow things that are going wrong in my circumstances to overcome all of me.
That would take what we call compartmentalizing the situation in my head. I’m going to work a situation well. I’m going to apply policy and procedures. I’m going to make sure I’m doing the best job that can be done.
I’m going to ask questions if I have to. I know ER I’m working quick. I have to make these things move and I have to move them right. They have to get done well. But I can’t let this make my stomach and head or make me nervous and out of sorts.
That’s what we all do when we’re in a bind or we’re working quick in a situation. What did I do not to let that happen? I would take the situation and try to put it in perspective. I would tell myself this situation is not all of me.
Some of the ways I did that is I would put matters, and I do this life as well, in a box or bucket. I would mentally put the circumstances in the box or bucket and I would deal with whatever I have to deal with.
By that I mean I would take out what I need to take out, because that’s how this is going to work, otherwise it won’t work. If I was nervous, I knew I was going to make a mistake. If I wasn’t asking questions because I’m overwhelmed. I knew I was going to make a mistake.
I knew I wasn’t going to give the best care that I could give because it’s over it’s taken over me. So I put it in a bucket mentally. I put it in a box. I take out what I need. I would say, “right now I need to mix this and I need to give it.” “I need to give this particular medication. I know it can’t be in light, so I’m going to make sure I cover the bag with what I need to cover it.”
“I’m going to make sure my ID access is good. That’s what I’m doing right now. I hear everybody screaming and running, but I’m focused on this. The rest of this is in the bucket.”
“I’m looking at the monitor and I see what I see and I know the response to that is XYZ. Let me respond to that.” Again, everything else is in the bucket, because this was what I’m doing. I made sure to remember in my airway, my breathing, and my circulation, always.
I reminded myself that, “I’m a great healthcare person and professional nurse. I can’t let the circumstances overwhelm me.” When you think of that and you tell yourself, you’ll a great job not allowing that to happen to you. That’s in life and in work. Put it in a bucket. Don’t let it overcome you.
Often, we skip our lunch. We skip our break. Because we are so consumed with what we’re doing. That’s the worst thing you could ever do. Stop. Say, “wait a minute, I was supposed to go to lunch at this time. I gotta go. Who’s going to come in? Somebody has to cover me.”
Everybody’s busy, I understand that. But we have to start taking lunch breaks in here. We have to start taking some breaks. You do what you have to do to ensure that everybody’s good. DO what you have to do to make sure you’re good, but more importantly that your patients are good.
If you’re good, your patients will be good. Your patients are only going to be good if you’re good. It’s a cycle. So take your lunch break. Take your break. Take time for you. It’s important.
Take a breather. Those are trips. People don’t do them because we get so overwhelmed with what we’re doing. Especially in areas like ER or ICU or when you’re on the med-surg floor and it’s fast and busy.
When you’re in those areas that are fast and busy, because some people have areas that slow down sometimes, and that’s great. It’s great. That doesn’t make you a bad nurse, less of a nurse, you’re all of that. You’re a great nurse.
However, some areas just by nature are very quick. Some areas by nature are very stressful and people that work in them generally love working them. But you need to learn how to be successful, healthy, joyful, and work them. You need to enjoy what you love so much. Don’t let it be a burden.
That’s my goal for telling you this. And if you need a little extra motivation and a reminder of all the amazing things that you are absolutely capable of, download my free Mobile Mood Booster. It’s in the sidebar and at the bottom of this page. You’ll get 21 days of motivation and affirmations designed specifically for healthcare professionals to access right on their phones straight to your inbox.
Hi! I'm Dawn.
I am a licensed attorney and registered nurse who specializes in helping healthcare professionals not get sued.