Why is taking the time to focus on my well-being so important? What steps can I take to focus on my well-being?

A Marian Altman, PhD, RN, CNS-BC, CCRN-K, and Sarah Delgado, MSN, RN, ACNP, reply:

Giving attention to well-being is a challenge for many nurses. Nurses’ professional focus on others; personal roles in the care of children, older adults, or close friends; physical exhaustion from working shifts; and lack of time are all factors that contribute to this challenge. At the same time, attention to nurse well-being is essential to patient safety1  and the future of the profession.

What exactly is well-being? It is more than the absence of suffering. The American Psychiatric Society defines well-being as a state of happiness and contentment, with low levels of distress and intact physical and mental health.2  Similar to quality of life, well-being varies from person to person. The factors...

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