NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: Joseph Ochoa Your Buddy: Isaac D.

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 Hike at Saguaro National Park on 9/12/2023 from 0900 to 1200.

Comments on Activity:
I really enjoyed going on this hike because I was able to explore more of Saguaro National Park as this
was my second time being there. I was able to take in everything that was around me such as the cholla,
mesquite trees, barrel cacti, ocotillo, and of course the Saguaro cacti. It was beautiful and lush,
everywhere you looked there was something nice to see or hear such as the gorgeous mountain
backdrop behind the park, and the wildlife such as birds continuously singing or rabbits hopping about.
I felt really relaxed during my hike and I eventually found a spot that looks toward the mountain where
you can see miles of all sorts of cacti and desert plants existing, and I realized this is what makes me
truly want to be out there, to gaze at the beauty this world beholds.
Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):
2 Hike at Mount Lemmon 9/17/23 from 1000 to 1200

Comments on Activity:
My father’s birthday recently passed, and he wanted to celebrate by going on a short hike with our
family this weekend. Everyone enjoyed themselves on the hike as we saw amazing views during our
trek. It was amazing to see how high up Mount Lemmon is and to look down at the vast desert and how
suddenly the elevation change led to different kinds of plants and trees being able to grow only a short
distance from the desert. We saw wildflowers, pine trees, deer, birds, and more. I was amazed at how
the elevation change really made a difference in the ecosystem and what kind of plants and animals are
able to live there.

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 Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
I’m glad you got to go to Mount Lemmon to take a hike, the views are incredible there and it’s always
so nice to go up there, especially right now when it’s hot! Keep up the good work!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

3 Exploring through Colossal Cave on 9/23/23 1200-1400

Comments on Activity:
I hadn’t been to Colossal Cave in quite a long time, and I really enjoyed my time spelunking with a
good friend this weekend. When we got there, I saw the familiar entrance to the cave, and we headed on
in. Going down into the cave really brought into my mind how old some of these formations are. The
tour guide talked about how these formations took thousands of years back when the cave was running
full of water. We saw all sorts of things such as stalagmites and stalactites which I found fascinating. I
really enjoyed my time in the cave as it was nice to spend time away from the computer and phone.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
I haven’t been to Colossal Cave in a long time either! From what I remember, it’s an amazing place and
it’s so cool to see how these rocks have developed over thousands of years! I’m glad you’re having a
great time in your activities so far.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

4 Hike near Summer Haven on Mount Lemmon on 9/29/30 from 0900-1200

Comments on Activity:
My family invited me back to go to Mount Lemmon and I joined them on this little adventure. First, we
went on a little nature hike. It really wasn’t too long of a hike, but the views were spectacular. It seemed
like we were at the peak looking down at the whole city of Tucson. It was breathtaking and views like
those are what really drive me to go on hikes. We then were able to go to the town of Summer Haven
and have a little picnic outside. It was a beautiful day and I’m glad I was able to enjoy it outside with
my family.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Glad you were able to go back to Mount Lemmon and experience Summer Haven! It’s a cute little town
that offers a lot to see and do! The views are breathtaking and now I want to go back to Mount
Lemmon! You’re doing a great job!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

5 Walk and picnic through Agua Caliente Park on 10/7/23 from 1000-1300.

Comments on Activity:
This weekend a friend and I decided on going to Agua Caliente Park to go on a walk and have a picnic.
It was really pretty being out by the lake there, we saw all sorts of things such as birds swimming in the
M O’C Fall 2018
 water looking for fish, lizards on the sidewalks, and the views of the mountains in the background. We
were able to go on a short hike there and which we both really enjoyed, when we were done, we sat
down to have a picnic. It was really nice to be able to have a picnic outdoors as we were able to look
and see the beauty around us while we had a snack.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Agua Caliente Park is such a nice place to just relax and unwind for a bit. There’s so much to see and
explore, I also enjoy seeing all kinds of animals there and it really is a beautiful place.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

6 Walk through Reid Park Zoo on 10/15/23 from 1000-1200.

Comments on Activity:
This weekend I got the chance to go to Reid Park Zoo with someone who is very special to me. It was
amazing to see all of the different kinds of animals that inhabit this world in person. During our visit,
we were able to see animals such as giraffes, elephants, rhinos, tigers, lions, and many exotic birds. It
was nice to get outdoors and to see nature, even if it’s just a zoo.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
I haven’t been to Reid Park Zoo in years, but I remember going once when I was younger. I remember
having a great time seeing all the different species and the Giraffe was definitely my favorite! I’m glad
you’re having a great time and are able to get away from the hustle and bustle of preceptorship, even for
a bit.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

7 Walk through Tucson Botanical Gardens on 10/22/23 from 1200-1400.

Comments on Activity:
Being able to walk through different gardens was very relaxing to me this week. At the Botanical
Gardens, we saw all different kinds of plants from different areas of life. There are many different
gardens, all dedicated to different aspects and cultures of life. There is the Rose Garden that houses
many different types of roses, all of which are beautiful and unique. There was also the Zen Garden and
the Bird Garden that I really enjoyed walking through. It was nice to be able to just relax and sit around
in nature as last week was difficult. It really took my mind off of it and got me ready for the next week
ahead.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)
Sorry that last week was difficult for you but it’s great that you got to relax by going to the Botanical
Gardens. I’ve never been there but from hearing what I’ve heard in the past and your description, it
sounds like an excellent place to relax! We’re almost done! You got this!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

8 Walk through Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum on 10/29/23 from 0900-1200.

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 Comments on Activity:
This week I was able to go back to the Desert Museum. I hadn’t been there since I was a kid, and I was
really amazed to see how much it had changed since then and how much I remembered. I got to see
many things such as fossils, space rocks, different types of sediment, different types of animals, and of
course many different types of desert plants. It was nice going back to relive some of my childhood and
I felt really relaxed and nostalgic when I was there. It was a nice change of pace as the past week also
felt a little overwhelming but being able to just calm down and enjoy a nice day out was just what I
needed to recharge.
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?

I feel as though these activities have taught me that self-care really is

needed because without them, you can become burnt out, which can
affect your mental and physical well-being. I did have some tough
weeks that I went through, especially when trying to balance
preceptorship and class work but I do believe that taking a moment
for just myself was not only needed but necessary to keep myself in
the right mindset.

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

Sometimes it is hard for me to take some time out of my day to treat myself. I feel as though I want to
give as much as I can to the people I care about, which includes my friends, family, and the patients I
care for. After implementing these changes, I have noticed that I feel less stressed in my day-to-day life
although I do still feel a bit burned out from all of the assignments and clinicals, but I have a feeling I
would feel even more burned out if these changes were not implemented.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I definitely want to make it a goal to implement at least one activity from this list every week from now
on. I do feel better after implementing these activities each week as I was able to relax and recharge
after each week of giving it my best. It allowed me to come into next week with an open mind and a
relaxed body. Nursing is a difficult job, but I want to be there for my patients and to do that I need to
take care of myself so going forward I will implement strategies and activities that will help reduce
stress and help me be the best possible version of myself I can be.

Comments/suggestions:
At first I didn’t understand why this was a requirement but after going through all of the clinicals and
assignments throughout the weeks I completely understand, and I am thankful this assignment is
implemented in this course.

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

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 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

M O’C Fall 2018