In Touch newsletter: May 2017

INTOUCH MAY 2017

Ce le W bra ee tin kM g ay Nur 8- sin 12 g

Kayleigh Faulkner, a clinical nurse specialist for the Trauma and Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit, and Orla Smith, part-time director of nursing/ clinical research, demonstrate “yoga at work”—one of the self-care techniques used in their project, ARISE, aimed at helping nurses address stress and build resilience. (Photo by Yuri Markarov, Medical Media Centre)

Building resiliency, in the workforce and on Facebook By Geoff Koehler

Nurses experience stress in the workplace and in their everyday lives. These stressors can cause personal and professional challenges and negatively impact one’s health. While workplace stress cannot be eliminated, a team at St. Michael’s is taking steps to help nurses learn techniques to build resilience, mitigate stress and decrease fatigue. “Nurses aren’t alone when it comes to experiencing stress, but the high-stakes environment and intense needs of patients in trauma and critical care can be especially challenging,” said Orla Smith, part-time director of nursing/clinical research at St. Michael’s. “We want to help.” Smith is a critical care RN with a PhD

in Nursing and lead investigator on the project, called ARISE. The research team is comparing in-hospital workshops, online sessions and Facebook to see if they can enhance resiliency for up to 40 trauma and acute care nurses.

taught and practice self-care techniques, such as yoga, and shown how to use the senses and mindfulness for stress relief at home and at work. Participants also learn about creative and reflective reading and writing.

“Organizational employee health, wellness and assistance programs all provide this type of support; however, nurses are often unaware of all the options, and opportunities and access can be a challenge,” said Julie McShane, an RN and research coordinator who is part of the ARISE team.

To teach many of the self-care topics, ARISE capitalized on internal expertise at St. Michael’s. Kayleigh Faulkner, the Trauma and Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit’s clinical nurse specialist, led “yoga at work” workshops. Cecilia Wan, an occupational therapist with St. Michael’s, and Dr. Jacquie Gardner-Nix, a chronic pain consultant for the hospital, designed and delivered the mindfulness components. Smith said there were several St. Michael’s staff members to

Through ARISE, nurses are presented with St. Michael’s hospital-based health and wellness resources, including its Employee and Family Assistance Program. They’re

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