Maryland Association of Nursing Students

The American Nurses Association (ANA) issued a challenge called “Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation” which calls on the 3.6 million nurses in America to improve their health because improving the health of every nurse will improve the health of the nation.

“ANA defines a healthy nurse as one who actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional well-being. A healthy nurse lives life to the fullest capacity, across the wellness/illness continuum; as they become stronger role models, advocate, and educators, personally, for their families their communities and work environments, and ultimately for their patients” (American Nurses Association, 2017).

It is important that a nurse strives to be as healthy as they can be. A healthy nurse is respected by their patient more than an unhealthy nurse, suffers from a lower rate of burnout ,and has better overall health.

A great time to start these healthy habits is during nursing school. As a nursing student, we can start by:

Getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night

Eating well balanced meals

Discover a healthy way to relieve your stress

Avoid smoking and heavy drinking

Improve your time managements skills

Start following proper back safety measures

Find time to do things you enjoy everyday

Make time for family, friends and significant others

Starting these healthy practices in nursing school will help you be a healthy nurse when you graduate and pass NCLEX. Being a healthy nurse is important because patients will see you as a more credible source and excellent role model. For example, a patient will listen to a nurse providing smoking cessation education who does not smoke (or has quit smoking) as opposed to listening to a nurse who still smokes. As healthcare providers, it is important that we demonstrate healthy lifestyle choices for our health in hopes that our patients emulate us, therefore improving their own health

References:

American Nurses Association. (2017). Healthy nurse, healthy nation™. Retrieved November 30, 2017, from American Nurses Association website: http://nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/Healthy-Nurse