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ANA Framework
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ANA Framework 
Self Care Strengths
Physical
- For this area, I have incorporated time for exercise at least three times a week. One of my greatest strengths is my time management skills. With this in mind, I set aside for myself at the beginning or end of the day to stop studying and take time for myself at the gym. I find that exercise is a great stress relief tool for me, and the American Nurses Association states that stress relief is a typical result of regular exercise due to the production of endorphins (Richards et al., 2014). Throughout the past couple of weeks, I have been signing up for cycling classes. If I have signed up for a work out class, I feel greater motivation to find time in my schedule to make it to the gym.
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Emotional
- The American Nurses Association describes "how we feel, perceive, and respond is regulated by our emotional state" (Richards et al., 2014). One of my greatest emotional strengths is my positive attitude. By maintaining this positive attitude in difficult situations, I am able to remain calm in stressful situations and respond appropriately. For example, I don't always enjoy studying, but I always remind myself that this information could save someone's life one day. When I do this, I approach studying with a happier, renewed energy.
Mental
- One of my greatest mental strengths is my ability to take moments to just breathe when I begin to feel overwhelmed. While the American Nurses Association recommends spending 10 minutes meditating or breathing deeply each day, I have altered this suggestion to better suit my needs (Richards et al., 2014). The breathing technique that I practice is less scheduled and more so utilized on an "as needed" basis, such as when I am scheduling my weeks or working on a difficult assignment.
Spiritual
- I am Catholic, which has aided me in developing the strengths of humility and kindness. In college, I have participated in Bible study groups and various activities that have further promoted these qualities of humility and kindness. Involving myself in this religion has led to me being surrounded by people who further encourage me in my journey to further establish these strengths.
Relationship
- One of my greatest strengths in terms of relationships is choosing friends who uplift me and add positivity to my life. Some of my best friends I met in elementary school, and college has provided me with the opportunity to expand my friendships. Regardless of when or where I become friends with someone, I seek out healthy friendships and let my friends know that I appreciate them.
Choice
- The American Nurses Association recommends choosing "an accountability buddy," which I believe is a strength of mine that aligns with the choice pathway (Richards et al., 2014). Myself and two friends who are in nursing school text each other in the morning to see what everyone's goals are for the day. Throughout the day, we will then periodically check in with each other to see the progress everyone has made. In order to make progress towards our individual goals, we all must make the choice to work hard. When one of us is finding it difficult to choose to put in that extra time studying or working towards a goal, we motivate each other to keep going.
Self Care Challenges
Physical
- While time management is a strength of mine, I often find that getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night is a challenge. The American Nurses Association emphasizes the importance of sleep due to how it sharpens nurses' critical thinking skills (Richards et al., 2014). I typically prioritize studying/completing assignments over sleep, which leads me to receiving less than 7 hours of sleep on most nights.
Emotional
- One of my greatest self-care challenges is my tendency to doubt myself. This often occurs as I sort through different answer options on tests or remembering the details of a particular skill in lab. According to the American Nurses Association, self doubt is an inaccurate thinking pattern that I must work to mitigate before it becomes a typical part of my thinking pattern (Richards et al., 2014).
Mental
- I struggle with disconnecting from technology, especially before I go to sleep. Because I am often on my phone in bed, my mind does not have a chance to rest before I attempt to fall asleep.
Spiritual
- I struggle with finding time to focus on my spiritual development each day. While I would like to participate in reading a passage from the Bible or appreciating nature each day, I often am in such a rush that I disregard these activities.
Relationship
- While I love and appreciate all of my friends, I struggle with scheduling time to text/call/meet up with them during the week, especially my friends who are not in my nursing classes. The American Nurses Association stresses the importance of maintaining relationships in order to develop a purpose-driven life (Richards et al., 2014).
Choice
- I struggle with frequently sacrificing one task in order to accomplish another. For example, I often make the choice to sacrifice sleep in order to study for an upcoming test.
Area for Growth
- I will schedule out each hour of my day to factor in time for exercise and set a time in which I will stop studying. By doing this, I will work towards a healthy work-life balance that does not require me to sacrifice one healthy choice for another.
Area for Growth
- I will schedule a time each week, such as on Thursday evenings, when I will text each of my friends to check in with them. Even if our conflicting schedules do not allow for us to meet up in person, it's important to me to maintain these friendships because they make me happy.
Area for Growth
- As I am walking to class each day, I will look around at my surroundings and appreciate the scenery surrounding me. Even if I do not have time to perform a specific activity that benefits my spirituality each day, taking a moment to appreciate nature is a simple, realistic activity that will provide me with spiritual self care.
Area for Growth
- I will put my phone down at least 30 minutes before I get into bed. The American Nurses Association suggests never being on your phone when you are in bed, so I am interested to see how this affects my quality of sleep and mental well being.
Area for Growth
- I will reduce my self doubt and increase my confidence by continuing to seek out patient interactions during clinical and speaking up in class to ask/answer questions. Gaining confidence takes practice, so I will continue to utilize these strategies throughout nursing school and beyond.
Area for Growth
- I would like to receive at least 7 hours of sleep each night. To do this, I plan on turning off my laptop and shutting my textbooks by 9:00pm each night. This will give me at least an hour to relax before falling asleep by 10:00pm. By doing this, I hope to wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to take on the day.
- The American Nurses Association explains how nurses can utilize the six pathways of self-care identified by Dossey and Keegan to care for themselves. By partaking in self care, healthcare professionals can mitigate burnout and better care for others.
Resources
Richards, K., Sheen, E., & Mazzer, M. (2014). Self-care and you: Caring for the caregiver. American Nurses Association.