NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: Hayley Comrie Your Buddy: Karli Basakos

Select any evidence-based intervention/recommendation to follow (do this over 8 weeks):

 Sleep at least 7 hours per night before and after a work or school day
 Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes everyday
 Complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as biking under 9
mph, dancing, jogging, or playing tennis; or complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week,
such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.
 Participate in two professionally led yoga classes for one hour or longer per week
 Spend up to 2 hrs in Nature or longer per week
 Other (Must get your Clinical Faculty approval first, and activity should be up to 2 hrs or longer
per week)

Complete Weekly journal entries:

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
1
I participated in ultimate frisbee practice for two hours each night on Monday, Wednesday, and
Thursday. I also traveled to Stanford for a tournament over the weekend. This meant that on Friday my
whole team packed up into some minivans and drove up to northern California. We played four 90-
minute games on Saturday, but unfortunately got rained out on Sunday, which meant we drove home
earlier.
Comments on Activity:

When I play frisbee my mind is taken away from my work and life stressors completely. Our practice
schedule forces me to set aside two hours, three nights a week, for being social with my friends and
exercising, which always helps me relax and feel better. We are a very positive and supportive team,
which helps me relax, smile, and laugh. I find that after practice I am in a better mood and am more
willing and motivated to work hard afterwards. Tournaments are my favorite part of playing a club
sport. They are challenging and I end up running about 20-25 miles each day. My body definitely hurts,
but the good kind of hurt where you know you worked hard and had fun, which makes all the soreness
worth it.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
2
This week I had practice for frisbee on Wednesday and Thursday for two hours each. I also had a one-
hour conditioning session on Sunday. My body was recovering from the tournament at Stanford, which
meant that I did more stretching than normal. I also did about 15 minutes of yoga on Monday and
Tuesday on my own to help recuperate.
Comments on Activity:

I find that when I am actively aware of how my body is feeling in the days following a tournament, I
tend to recover faster and get back to playing full speed sooner. I wish I was able to go to full yoga
classes, but with so many assignments this week I was not able to make them. I really enjoyed practice
this week because it was my “me time” for the night where I could unplug from my computer, phone,
and schoolwork and I could just run around with my friends in the chilly night air.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
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 Karli and I checked in with each other verbally this week. Karli asked me what exercise I have been
able to do so far and if there are any other forms of exercise I want to do in the future, instead of just my
typical routine. I would really like to be able to add some hiking on the weekends into my routine. Karli
and I are both working to prioritize exercise in our lives, given the stresses of nursing school. So far, we
are both doing well!
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
3
This week I had two hours of practice for ultimate frisbee on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I also
had cardio conditioning for an hour on Sunday morning, which is of high intensity. My goal was to also
hike 7 Falls in Sabino Canyon on Saturday morning, but my day filled up and I was not able to.
Comments on Activity:

This week was hectic for me because I had a lot of homework, but when I am at practice, I am able to
have fun and forget about my work. I find that being busier makes me more productive on my
homework when I get home. Even though practice from 6-8pm or 7-9pm is not ideal timing, it means
that I know I need to work really hard before and after practice to get everything done. My body feels
better after I run and stretch, so I am making this intervention a priority for me.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Karli and I texted each other this week to check in about how our various exercise was going. I asked
her about the activities she had been doing and she checked in with me to see if I was able to go hiking
or not. I told her that I wasn’t able to this week, but next week I would try to make it a priority. I told
her about how intense conditioning was this week with a lot of sprinting and plyometric exercises.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
4
This week I was able to achieve my goal of hiking 7 Falls. I still had practice for frisbee Monday,
Wednesday, and Thursday for 2 hours each day, which consisted of moderate to intensive running. I also
had one hour of high-intensive running at conditioning on Sunday morning. After conditioning I met my
parents and a few family friends at Sabino Canyon, and we all hiked 7 Falls, which is my favorite hike
in Tucson.
Comments on Activity:

This week there was beautiful weather, the sun was out, but the temperatures were still in the 60’s and
70’s. Practice this week was less intensive as we were learning a new system to run, which meant there
was more explanation and talking, and less running. However, conditioning was very challenging with
many shuttle sprint exercises. I really felt my endorphins at the end of it! The hike at Sabino Canyon
was not only beautiful, but it was also a lot of fun. It gave me a chance to be with my friends and family
as well as enjoy nature and get a good workout.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

This week Karli and I texted each other to check in. We both have been doing really well committing to
performing exercise during the week. We talked about how much we love being in nature and how
much easier it is to exercise when the sun is out, but it is still cooler in the morning and night. I
described to Karli how I have a challenging time exercising by myself, which is why I run with my
teammates at practice and why I must hike with my family or friends.

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Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
5
This week I had my normal practice schedule of 2 hours on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday with
one hour of conditioning on Sunday. However, this week for conditioning we ran Tumamoc Hill, which
was fun and challenging! I was not able to do any extra exercise outside of frisbee this week, but
hopefully next week I will be able to go to the gym and do weights.
Comments on Activity:

Tumamoc Hill may just be a hill, but it can give you a cardio workout. It gains 600 ft. in just 1.5 miles,
so when we did “Indian Running”, which is where you run in a single file line of five people and then
the person in the back of the line sprints to the front of the line, in a repeated fashion, it provided a good
workout. It is starting to warm up outside, which means I need to remember to start hydrating extra
during the day.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Karli and I texted this week for our check in. I described to her what Tumamoc Hill was like and I
invited her to lift weights with me next week. I told her that I am much better at keeping workout plans
when someone else is going too, which gives me an extra reason I cannot back out of doing it. Karli and
I also discussed how we are both worried about exercise during our preceptorship. I am more worried
because I am working night shift, which means that I sleep during the day, when I would normally
workout.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
6
This week I had practice on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday for two hours each night. We ran a lot
this week to try and prepare for our tournament next weekend in Las Vegas. Conditioning was also
intensive with a lot of sprinting. I was able to make it to the gym on Friday morning, but I was not able
to meet up with Karli; I was proud of myself for actually sticking with my plan to lift weights, even
though I was by myself. I focused on arm exercises, which I definitely felt the next few days.
Comments on Activity:

As previously mentioned, I have a hard time exercising by myself because I often get bored or give
myself an excuse to leave early, not work as hard, etc. When I am with other people, I push myself
harder and often have a lot more fun exercising too. I have a hard time lifting weights at the Rec
because I feel like people are always watching me, or I feel self-conscious about the amount I am
lifting, which is why I choose to go very early in the morning, so the gym is emptier.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Karli and I bonded over how much we hate going to the Rec, especially when it is busy. I described to
her my worries about exercising after graduation because I have always played sports and been a part of
structured exercising through soccer, track and field, dance, etc. After graduation my goal is to find
some sort of city league to play in so that I can stay active and have fun with a group of people still. She
told me her plans of exercising after graduation and how she plans to keep herself accountable.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
7
This week I was only able to attend practice on Thursday due to my preceptorship schedule. However,
over the weekend I travelled with my team to Las Vegas to play in a tournament. We had four 90-minute
games on Saturday and three 90-minute games on Sunday. We were able to play other women’s teams
from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and California.

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 Comments on Activity:

The tournament over the weekend was definitely a lot of running! My friends who wear fitbits, who
play a similar amount of time to me, told me they ran about 25 miles on Saturday and about 18 on
Sunday. My legs will definitely be sore as I stand a lot during the next three night shifts for my
preceptorship. Las Vegas was very windy, which makes playing frisbee a lot more challenging.
However, we all had fun and we placed 5th out of 15 women’s teams.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Karli and I checked in over text this week. I told her all about the tournament in Vegas, the wind we had
to deal with, and how exhausted my whole body was from running so much. She suggested I do some
yoga this upcoming week, which I will try to fit into my schedule. I discussed how challenging it has
been to fit in exercising when I am not able to go practice due to my preceptorship; Karli has been
having challenges with this too.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
8
This week I was only able to make it to Thursday practice again because I worked Monday-Wednesday
night for my preceptorship. I practiced for two hours on Thursday and had one hour of conditioning on
Sunday morning. After conditioning I went to the gym for about an hour to do a bit more cardio as I felt
I was lacking in that for the week as a whole.

Comments on Activity:

I am still working on figuring out how to balance night shift with homework, my personal life, and
especially exercising. I was exhausted at Thursday’s practice because I was only just switching back to
being awake during the day again and I had only slept for a few hours after my Wednesday shift. I often
try to think about what my life will be like after graduation with a full-time job and I now realize a key
to making sure I exercise is to plan it around my work schedule. I will need to find a group of people to
exercise with, to hold me accountable.
Complete Survey Below
(Once Completed submit entire document to D2L Assignment Drop box by Due date and add to Your
Portfolio.)

Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

These activities taught me the importance of self-care in the prevention of burnout, especially as a new
graduate RN. I realized that when I exercise more throughout the week, I feel better overall and am able
to be more productive with my work at home because I need to focus on time management more. I have
also learned how being in nature, whether it just be on a grass field or out in Sabino Canyon, my spirits
are lifted. I have also realized how challenging it can be to schedule in exercise when working three 12-
hour shifts a week, especially at night.

Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?

I have noticed that my awareness of my mood and affect have increased significantly. I realized that I
am much more irritable when I am not able to get out and run or exercise. I also noticed that after I
exercise, I am happier, more productive, and willing to let bothersome things go more easily. Although
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 my exercise habits did not change drastically with this intervention, I did face challenges with attending
practice due to my preceptorship schedule. This made me step out of my typical routine and schedule
hiking or going to the gym into my schedule to make up for the lost practices.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I will continue to play frisbee as my main form of exercise, but when the season is over and I graduate, I

now know I need to find some sort of outdoor team sport to try and play. I will also try to prioritize

hiking and being out away from the city more often. These events really changed my mood and made

me appreciate nature.

Comments/suggestions:

I really enjoyed this intervention and assignment! I did not find the personality test very productive in

my learning as we have taken many similar tests before in other courses, but I understand why it was

included in this assignment.

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with these statements:
Following an evidence-based recommendation to reduce burnout was valuable to me.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This 8-week intervention will help me implement preventative strategies for burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This Panopto presentation titled: “Nurse Burnout: What this is and how you can minimize it in your careers”

effectively taught me how I can reduce and address nurse burnout in my career.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

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 Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

Completing the Big Five Personality Test was helpful for exploring my risk of nurse burnout.

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

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