Spiritual Self-Care For Oncology Nurses

Oncology nurse are known for their capacity to care for others, seek out intellectual stimulation, and look for personal fulfillment in their work lives. Thus, they are at risk for compassion fatigue (Halstead & Nilssen, in press; Henry & Henry, 2004; Medland, Howard-Ruben, & Whitaker, 2004).

Compassion fatigue is a malaise of the spirit that results in a decreased capacity to care or the capacity to be filled with loving-kindness, patience, humility, and altruism (VanderZyl, 2002).

Interventions

• Work environment
• Individual self-care
• Meditation
• Prayer

Work Environment (Halstead & Nilssen, in press; Henry & Henry, 2004; Medland et al., 2004)

• Increased awareness of the need for a positive, supportive environment
• Re-evaluating organizational and personal values
• Community building
  • Interdisciplinary gatherings
  • Granting permission to “have fun” at work
  • Providing spiritual care for staff members
  • Allowing time to grieve after a difficult death
  • Creating staff awareness of positive coping strategies
  • Emphasizing individual’s strengths and talents
  • Increasing social support

Individual Self-care (Halstead & Nilssen, in press)

• Remembering why you became a nurse
  • Identifying “gifts”
  • Reevaluating personal values
  • Reviewing personal/career goals
• Journaling
• Creating time for reflection and “spiritual space”

Meditation

• Goals (Halstead & Nilssen, in press)
  • Interrupt the stress
  • Reframe the problem
  • Find a brief period of relaxation and stillness
• Types (Halstead & Nilssen, in press)
  • Guided imagery
  • Relaxation response
  • Mindfulness meditation: Yoga, Zen meditation, Dzogchen meditation and others
  • Meditative arts: Journaling, chanting, Tibetan singing bowls, Favorite hymns, other types of music
  • Bibliotherapy: reflecting on sacred texts
  • Meditative prayer
• The Discipline of Meditation (DeCristofaro, 2005) Please see Spiritual Interventions page for further information.

  In silence we accept our inner self; the spiritual self knows our needs!

  §         The 3 S’s:

  Silence     – learn this by paying attention

  Stillness   – this helps us experience our body as a “sacred temple of spirit” Simply                   learning to sit still is a first lesson in going beyond desire. Resisting                        the urge to fidget is a great step forward.

  Simplicity – keep it simple; repeat a single sacred word or simple phrase. 

  §         Sit still with back straight

  §         Close eyes

  §         Repeat mantra interiorly and continuously. Say mantra without haste and without expecting anything to happen. Return when you are distracted to repeating mantra.

  §         Listen with whole being

  §         Say mantra in faith and love

  §         Don’t have demands or expectations

  §         Don’t evaluate meditation

  §         Integrate meditation into your daily life with morning and evening practice

  §         Live its consequence, day by day

Prayer (Halstead & Nilssen, in press)

• Goals
  • Become closer to God or a Higher Power
  • Connect to others, such as a religious community, or to nature
  • Reframe the problem
  • Reduce stress
  • Find a brief period of relaxation and stillness
• Types
  • Guided imagery
  • Relaxation response
  • Mindfulness meditation: Yoga, Zen meditation, Dzogchen meditation and others
  • Meditative arts: Journaling, chanting, Tibetan singing bowls, Favorite hymns, other types of music
  • Bibliotherapy: reflecting on sacred texts
  • Meditative prayer

DeCristofaro, S., & Halstead, M. (2005)