The Importance of a Balanced Life for Nurses

Now, more than ever before, it is important for nurses to have a balanced life in order to be the best nurses they can be. It used to be a good thing to multitask and work a lot of overtime, but now we know that it is more important to be focused on the task at hand and to be well rested and refreshed, not fatigued.¹  The American Nurses Association’s (ANA’s) position statement on nurse fatigue states, “Evidence-based strategies must be implemented to proactively address nurse fatigue and sleepiness; to promote the health, safety, and wellness of registered nurses; and to ensure optimal patient outcomes.”²  To achieve that, nurses must do several things. The first is to care for themselves physically. The second is to make sure that they can separate work and personal life. The last is to make sure that they can disengage from work when...