Unit 9: Self-care and

reducing test anxiety

Written by Kathleen McCullough-Zander, MA,

RN, CTN

Stress

• Body’s way of reacting to a challenge or threat

• Health care providers have higher levels of stress than other workers

• Nurses have higher levels than other health care providers

• Stressors for nursing students:

1. academic stress (tests, fear of failure)

2. clinical stress (fear of harming a patient)

3. personal/social stress (financial, family)

Effects of stress

• heart rate and blood pressure

• muscle tension

• anxiety

• immune function

• memory and thinking

• Etc.

Negative coping mechanisms

• Eating junk food – especially sugar

• Smoking

• Drinking

• Drug use

• Inactivity

Nurses need to be role-models in primary prevention & health

promotion

Healthy stress reduction techniques

• Healthy diet – reduce sugar and excess caffeine

• Adequate sleep

• Music

• Prayer

• Breathing exercises

• Guided relaxation

• Massage

• Yoga

• Meditation

• Laughter

• Exercise, exercise, exercise!

Meditation

• Lowers stress

• Strengthens the immune system

• Appears to lengthen life span

• Used for centuries in many, many cultures

It’s not the stress in your life -

It’s how you deal with the stress!