It can be a mixed bag to be a nurse during the holidays. Every case would be different because nurses operate in an immense number of clinical and non-clinical settings; one common denominator is that the holidays have an effect on us all.
Missing our Families
No matter what holidays you might celebrate, it is usually preferred to be home with loved ones. Sadly, a round-the-clock animal is the healthcare system and nurses are required 365 days a year on the front lines.
You may feel bereft of the experience of being with your family members on a special day while you are working on Hannukah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa. With patients or friends, while you can enjoy holiday cheer, nothing can replace being at home. The truth of your loss is intense, and it's not always easy to weather the feelings; luckily, for shared support, you have colleagues.
In order to be home for the special occasions, some nurses rearrange family celebrations; we've also heard of nurses who have delayed Thanksgiving dinner until Friday because they can't be home on Thursday. Creative strategies will help relieve the pressure if your family is versatile.
Patients and Isolation from Holiday
During breaks, healthcare providers are not the only ones isolated from families. On the day before a special celebration, hospital stays do not magically stop and thousands of patients end up stuck in the hospital. In addition, some patients do not have any relatives to talk about, so they may see you as their alternative family. Giving your patients a little extra and sharing holiday cheer is your sacred responsibility and privilege.
While you may be struggling with your own desires while operating on Hannukah or Christmas, with the added insult of feeling unwell and being unable to go home at the end of the shift, your patients are in a similar position. Although your family will miss you, you will walk out the door eventually. It is an essential act of kindness to foster empathy for the suffering of your patients.
Stress Stacking
It can be a joyous holiday season, but it can also be a time of extra tension and concern. At this moment of the year, many of us will feel strained beyond our budget, and our patients will feel similarly; and when our patients face catastrophically high medical bills, their level of stress may increase accordingly.
Monitor carefully for signs of depression and anxiety in yourself, your friends, and your patients during this potentially tender moment. Those with a history of psychiatric depression or anxiety may have worsened symptoms, and new symptoms may be exhibited by those without an evident history. In addition, such celebratory periods can evoke old grief about friends and loved ones who have died.
Stress may be born from every part of our experience during the holidays, and some of us have better coping skills than others.
In the end, it is key during the holidays to cultivate consideration for our own feelings and the feelings of others. We need to note that the holiday of one person can be the nightmare of another, and we can not easily know how emotionally this time of year can manifest for any individual.
When the holidays come around, love, self-compassion, a little extra grace, and a giving heart go a long way. Keep mindful of what others may feel, ask kind questions, and listen with an open heart and mind; that is the true spirit of holidays in motion.
Merry Christmas..