Self-Care for New and Student Nurses

Awarded second place in the 2021 AJN Book of the Year Awards in Professional Development, Self-Care for New and Student Nurses is used at the nation’s #1 ranked nursing school.*
While you have chosen one of the most noble professions, you have also chosen one of the most difficult. In your career, you will face challenges big and small, whether it is a problematic coworker, the death of a favorite patient, or a global pandemic. You will have bad days or weeks when you ask yourself why you didn't choose a less demanding path in life. You will experience exhaustion, frustration, and grief. You will balance not only your nursing responsibilities, but also your commitments to your family and community. But as you question your life choices and wonder how you can take one more step forward, that voice inside you will whisper, "You are a nurse."
Our goal in writing this book is that you never have to betray that voice. No matter what comes your way, you will have the strength, skills, and resilience to keep moving forward. But let us be clear: we do not want you to move forward at the expense of yourself or your well-being. We want you to move forward with wisdom and clarity of purpose by using every resource you can muster. We hope that what is contained in this book will become a valuable resource throughout the early years of your career, and even beyond.
We welcome you on this journey, and we hope you welcome the opportunity to explore the concept of self-care, what it means, what works best for you, and how it can help you flourish in good times and help you grow in difficult ones.
Student workbook and instructor guide also available.
Table of Contents
Section I: Fundamentals
1. The Fundamentals of Stress, Burnout, and Self-Care
2. The Fundamentals of Resilience, Growth, and Wisdom
3. Developing a Resilient Mindset Using Appreciative Practices
4. The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) Approach to Mental Wellness for Nursing Students and New Graduate Nurses

Section II: The Mind of a Nurse
5. Self-Care, Communal Care, and Resilience Among Underrepresented Minority Nursing Professionals and Students
6. Self-Care for LGBTQ+ Nursing Students
7. Nursing Our Identities: Self-Compassion and Intersectionality
8. Narrative Practices
9. Mindful Compassion: A Life in Practice
10. Self-Care and Systemic Change: What You Need to Know
11. Strengths-Based Self-Care: Good Enough, Strong Enough, Wise Enough

Section III: The Body and Spirit of a Nurse
12. Reclaiming, Recalling, and Remembering: Spirituality and Self-Care
13. Sleep, Exercise, and Nutrition: Self-Care the Kaizen Way
14. Six Steps to Compassion: Practicing T'ai Chi in a Healthcare Setting
15. Reflections on Self-Care and Your Clinical Practice

Section IV: The Transition to Nursing Practice
16. Supportive Professional Relationships: Mentoring and Nurse Residency Programs
17. Healthy Work Environment: How to Choose One for Your First Job
18. Self-Care for Humanitarian Aid Workers
19. Sowing Seeds of Resilience: Compassionate Care Ambassadors

Section V: The Heart of a Nurse
20. Mattering: Creating a Rich Work Life
21. Integrating a Life That Works with a Life That Counts
22. Providing Compassionate Care and Addressing Unmet Social Needs Can Reduce Your Burnout
23. Showing Up with Grit and Grace: How to Lead Under Pressure as a Nurse Clinician and Leader
*Emory University rated #1 MSN program 2022-2023 by US News & World Report