Nurses: Practicing Being Present
Channel: EmpoweRN
Date: 2017-02-13

When things become overwhelming, it can just take a second to refocus and energize yourself. A lot of what zaps our energy is worrying and cloudy thinking. I have noticed this a lot with my patients and do my best to extract the lessons from them so that I can improve my life. I have noticed often that people who worry and tell you that they are worried, are thinking about things that they cannot change at that time… or at all ever!
One time in particular, I was working with a patient who had critically high blood pressure. I was calling the doctor and received an order for medication. I gave the medication and rechecked her blood pressure, but it was as if she took nothing at all. I again, called the doctor and received an order for a different medication. Gave the medication, however, this time I started talking to her to try and find out what was going on, she looked a little mentally stressed out.
After speaking with her for some time, she told me that she had a son that was in jail. I asked her how that made her feel and she said that it made her feel like she had been a bad mother. I then asked her if her best friend would ever say that she was a bad mother. 
Her head cocked to the side, just like a little puppy’s head. She said; “well no, my best friend is always telling me that I did the best job that any mother could.” 
We spoke some more and I later found out that her son had been in jail for over 4 years! This was not new and he would be in jail at least 6 more years! 
The way she was acting prior, I thought he went to jail that week. 
I told her that it might help if she is compassionate to herself, like she is to her best friend. Then of course I gave her the medication for her BP… we don’t want to be dealing with a stroke!!
After an hour, I returned to see a much different woman, with a much more acceptable blood pressure. 
Changing what we are thinking about is one of the easiest ways to change how we feel. In this video, I will give you my go to technique when everything is starting to feel overwhelming.
I hope you apply it in your life, it is simple, but it is the simple things in life that can affect us the most.
Have a wonderful week!
See you next Monday!
xoxo
- Caroline
www.EmpoweRN.com 

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