If you're a travel nurse, you know what a busy day looks like. Registered nurses have many responsibilities calling them every which way in medical facilities, which means free time is limited. While the nature of travel nursing jobs is chaotic, that doesn't mean RNs need to work their fingers to the bone. They should take breaks for their health and patient safety, yet many RNs don't let themselves rest on the job. Here's why taking breaks is important for success:
Avoid burnout
Burnout is already a common issue among nurses, and a lack of breaks doesn't help. In an American Nurses Association survey, 74 percent of respondents said they worry about how they'll handle being stressed and overworked. Forgoing breaks only worsens this anxiety. The Mayo Clinic listed extremes of activity, or working in a chaotic environment that uses up all your energy, as one culprit of burnout. Taking a break is one way to cut through the monotony and re-boost during a hectic day and avoid fatigue.
Writing for Mighty Nurse, RN Lynda Lampert gave her own insight on the topic. Lampert explained that she put her job before her mental health by not taking breaks. Now, she cannot work at patient's bedsides anymore, making her feel she's not fully utilizing all the knowledge she's gained throughout her career. She advised other RNs to take care of their own well-being, as it's one of the best ways to fight fatigue and burnout.
Improve patient safety
To properly care for patients and avoid dangerous medical errors, nurses must remain focused. Forgoing breaks can make staying alert difficult. This is especially true for longer tasks, ones that run upwards of 50 minutes, according to University of Illinois researchers.
In an experiment, the study authors found that giving people brief breaks while completing a task ensured participants' productivity did not decline. The researchers explained this phenomena as the brain getting bored – it stops registering stimuli after a certain period of time, which can hinder focus. People can reactivate the stimuli, so to speak, but pulling their attention away from the task and returning a few minutes later.
For RNs, certain activities take less time than others, and they may complete several duties in a 50-minute window (the time frame used in the study). For responsibilities that require more of your time, be sure to grab a snack, go for a walk or otherwise step away from the job.
Be a better professional
A travel nurse understands that his or her career is a constant learning experience. However, it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day duties and forget about professional development. Taking breaks may help with this process. Carving out a couple of 15-minute blocks in your schedule dedicated to going outside or resting in the lounge gives you time to reflect without distractions. You can evaluate how you approached a doctor-nurse interaction, reconsider what feedback you gave a patient or think about advice a co-worker gave.
You'll hear time and again how important it is to focus on your well-being as an RN, but you must be the one to take breaks and put your mental health first.