How can you promote resilience and mental toughness in nursing?

1 Define resilience and mental toughness

Resilience and mental toughness are related but distinct concepts that can help you overcome adversity and achieve your goals. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, cope with stress, and adapt to changing situations. Mental toughness is the ability to maintain focus, confidence, and motivation in the face of challenges, uncertainty, and criticism. Both skills can be learned and improved with practice and support.

2 Develop a positive mindset

One of the key factors that influence your resilience and mental toughness is your mindset. A positive mindset is one that sees difficulties as opportunities for growth, learning, and improvement, rather than as threats or failures. A positive mindset also helps you to recognize your strengths, appreciate your achievements, and celebrate your successes. To develop a positive mindset, you can use affirmations, gratitude, optimism, and self-compassion.

3 Build a strong support network

Another important factor that can boost your resilience and mental toughness is your support network. A strong support network is one that provides you with emotional, practical, and professional assistance when you need it. A strong support network can include your family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and peers. To build a strong support network, you can seek feedback, ask for help, offer help, share your experiences, and join a community of practice.

4 Manage your stress and emotions

Stress and emotions are inevitable in nursing, but they can also affect your resilience and mental toughness if you do not manage them effectively. Stress and emotions can impair your judgment, decision-making, communication, and performance. To manage your stress and emotions, you can use relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and self-care. You can also identify and address the sources of your stress and emotions, such as workload, conflict, or trauma.

5 Challenge yourself and learn from mistakes

Resilience and mental toughness are not static traits that you either have or do not have. They are dynamic skills that you can develop and enhance by challenging yourself and learning from your mistakes. Challenging yourself means stepping out of your comfort zone, taking on new responsibilities, and pursuing your goals. Learning from your mistakes means acknowledging your errors, analyzing what went wrong, and applying the lessons to improve your practice.

6 Seek feedback and coaching

Feedback and coaching are valuable tools that can help you improve your resilience and mental toughness. Feedback is the information that you receive from others about your performance, behavior, and outcomes. Coaching is the guidance that you receive from a qualified professional who can help you achieve your goals, overcome obstacles, and develop your skills. To seek feedback and coaching, you can ask for constructive criticism, set specific objectives, and implement action plans.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?