NURS 478 Self Care Journal

Your Name: Stephanie Martinez_ Your Buddy: Carla Hernandez

Select any evidence-based intervention/recommendation to follow (do this over 8 weeks):

◻ Sleep at least 7 hours per night before and after a work or school day
◻ Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes everyday
◻ Complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as biking
under 9 mph, dancing, jogging, or playing tennis; or complete 60 minutes of vigorous-intensity
exercise per week, such as running, kickboxing, or jumping rope.
◻ Participate in two professionally led yoga classes for one hour or longer per week
◻ Spend up to 2 hrs in Nature or longer per week
◻ Other (Must get your Clinical Faculty approval first, and activity should be up to 2 hrs or longer
per week)

Complete Weekly journal entries:

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 75 minutes of high-intensity weight training 4x this week.

Comments on Activity:
02/10
As part of this self-care activity, I want to take my workout regimen more seriously and be consistent

since I was unable to make time for it during 3rd semester. I want to focus my workouts on high-

intensity weight training which consists of lifting weights and doing complex workouts that target

multiple muscle groups. For my first week my goal was to workout for a minimum of 75 minutes 4x a

week. I successfully met my goal. I felt really good about my workouts this week, I challenged myself

by trying new things and starting to get back into a routine.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 75 minutes of high intensity weight training 4x this week.

Comments on Activity:
02/17
I continued to workout on high-intensity weight training. This week I was able to see progress in my

performance such as increasing my weight and working on proper technique/form. It was challenging to

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 meet my goal of going to the gym 4x a week because I am in preceptorship on nightshift, so I’ve gotten

tired more easily throughout the day. But I have noticed that I am starting to feel better about myself,

being more positive/focused and started eating healthier again.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

I've noticed Stephanie is in a much better mood! We talked about her progress in the gym and she says

she's been feeling much healthier now that she has been going to the gym consistently. I've noticed that

Stephanie is very dedicated to completing her goal of going to the gym 4x a week and am very happy

for her!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 75 minutes of high intensity weight training 5x this week.

02/24
Comments on Activity:

During this week, I was finishing up my preceptorship and had more time to work out, so I added a new

goal of working out 5x this week. My workouts consisted of weightlifting, similar to the past two weeks

but I began adding high intensity interval training workouts to my routine. For example, I added sprints

to the beginning of my workout. I did intervals of sprints on the treadmill for 10-12 minutes twice this

week. This really helped with warming me up before I started lifting weights. Also, I worked out with

one of my friends and started to get her into a fitness routine. This was fun for me because I usually

work out alone.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Stephanie is keeping up with her self care activities. I’m impressed that she has increased the amount of

time she works out. She is very dedicated to going to the gym and told me she feels a lot healthier.

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Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 75 minutes of high intensity weight training 5x this week.

Comments on Activity:
03/02
During this week, I went to the gym 5 times. My workouts were similar to the week before and

consisted of weightlifting and high intensity interval training. I changed my workout routine by adding

new weightlifting exercises. For example, I used more machine-based exercises instead of using free

weights. This change was much needed because I noticed I was getting too comfortable with my old

routine. For the high intensity interval training, I continued to do sprint intervals on the treadmill for 10

minutes twice this week. Overall, I have been feeling great at the gym and seeing progress in my

performance. I have noticed my mental and physical health improving.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

I think Stephanie is very self aware of the actions she needs to take to continue improving her fitness

routine. She challenged herself by trying new exercises. I was also happy to hear that she feels better

both mentally and physically. Self care is very important and exercise is something Stephanie can

continue to engage in when she is a nurse.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 60 minutes of high intensity weight training 4x this week.

Comments on Activity:
03/09
During this week I was unable to go to the gym as often as the previous weeks. This week I had a

midterm exam, assignments to complete and a trip to prepare for. Therefore, I went to the gym 4 times

this week for a minimum of 1 hour each time. I did a similar workout routine as the week before that

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 included weight lifting and sprints on the treadmill. I was only able to do the sprints once this week.

Overall, this workout regimen has helped me be more productive and manage my time efficiently to

make time for the gym.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

At the beginning of the week Stephanie mentioned that she needed to plan her day more wisely since

she will need to workout before going on her trip. Although it was a busy week, she was able to

complete her workouts. I’m proud of her for prioritizing her self-care and making sure she didn’t let the

stress of having a lot of things to do get to her.

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 60 minutes of high intensity weight training 5x this week outside.

Comments on Activity:
03/16
During the beginning of this week there were a lot of changes that occured due to the COVID-19

pandemic. Many places such as the gym were closing down in order to practice social distancing. Due

to the changes, I decided to buy a variety of workout equipment from local people in Tucson and create

an outside gym in my backyard. I was unsure how long the changes were going to last for and I was

scared to make contact with a crowd of people if the gym was to open back up in the next couple weeks.

Therefore, I bought some equipment to still manage to do my workouts from home. This week I was

able to workout 5 times for a total of 60-70 minutes each time. My workouts were very different than

the ones I usually do in the gym but I was still able to improvise. I did a variety of workouts that

included jump roping, squats, deadlifts, arm curls, pushups, planks, etc. I actually really enjoyed my

outside workouts more than being in the gym. It was a new challenge that I looked forward to

overcoming.
Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

I’m glad that Stephanie was able to overcome the many changes brought on by the COVID-19

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 pandemic! I admire that she is continuing to workout despite not being able to go to the gym. I’ve

noticed that her mood improves when she is about to do her daily workout. She’s doing a great job!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 60 minutes of high intensity weight training 5x this week outside.

Comments on Activity:
03/23
During this week, I managed to complete my workouts in my outside gym with my boyfriend. I

completed a variety of workouts that were high intensity and similar to the previous week. Also, I

included a 1 mile run in one of my workouts and it was hard. I slowly wanted to get back into running

outside this week to make my workouts more complex. I challenged myself by starting to work on my

planks and push ups this week. Each day I was able to add in 3-4 minutes worth of planks and 30 push

ups into my workouts. I have definitely been feeling isolated these past two weeks so taking the time

each day to be outdoors is very refreshing and helping me relieve my anxiety and stress.

Buddy Check-In Comments: (Note Key Comments from Conversation)

Stephanie and I both agree that going outside everyday helps make us feel better. Since we’ve been at

home a lot, it’s important to make the effort to get fresh air every day. I’m happy that this is helping

Stephanie and also proud of her by challenging herself to start running again!

Week Description of intervention implemented this week (include frequency/length of time):

Complete 60 minutes of high intensity weight training 5x this week outside and run at least two times

03/30 for a minimum of 20 minutes.

Comments on Activity:

During this week, I completed my high intensity workouts in my outside gym. A couple of days I

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 completed them with my boyfriend and on the other days I was by myself. Each day I am challenging

myself by trying to jump rope for a longer time or doing more sets of push-ups. Not having a gym with

the regular equipment is making my workouts harder to complete but it is making me try new workouts

that involve more body strength. I am enjoying this because it makes me be outside in nature and forces

me to try things that I have been avoiding. Also, I have been running outside more for at least 20

minutes. For two days instead of completing a workout in my backyard, I went to a park nearby my

house and ran a loop. I challenged myself to run 2 miles the first day and 2.5 miles the second day with

a 10 minute/mile pace. I was very proud of myself for doing this because I haven’t ran that much lately!

Complete Survey Below

(Once Completed submit entire document to D2L Assignment Drop box by Due date and add to Your

Portfolio.)

Reflection on Panopto presentation and 8-week intervention:

What did these activities teach you?

My self-care activity involved maintaining a specific workout schedule each week. This taught me a lot

about self-discipline because I had to ensure that I was sticking to my routine each week and attempting

to try something new. Also, it taught me that maintaining a workout routine can really benefit my

overall health. I’ve noticed my mood improving over that last 8 weeks and I definitely believe that it has

to do with the amount of physical activity that I have been doing. Additionally, it has taught me that I

don’t need a gym to complete my workouts. Since all the changes that have occurred within the past

month, all of the gyms have shut down. This has required me to complete my workouts at home or

outside. Therefore, I invested in multiple workout equipment and began working outside in my

backyard. Also, I have included more running into my workouts which I have enjoyed a lot!

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 Have you noticed any changes in your life since you began this intervention?

I’ve noticed that I have been more involved in my workouts since I began this intervention. Each week I

had a goal to challenge myself and try something new. For example, I would switch up my workouts,

increase the weight I was lifting or try running more mileage. Also, I’ve noticed a change in my mental

and physical health. I’ve had a more positive attitude and better mindset about everything in my life.

Since I’ve been working out more often, I’ve also been eating healthier. Therefore, I’ve been seeing

progress in my physical appearance.

Will you do anything differently now? Please explain.

I plan to continue sticking to a workout routine and challenging myself each week! This activity has

really shown me the benefits of working out 4-6 times a week on my mental and physical health. It has

been a great way for me to relieve my stress and take some time out of my day to focus on myself. I

believe that this is really important for me to maintain as I graduate and start a career in nursing to

prevent burnout.

Comments/suggestions:

I really enjoyed this activity!

Please rate how strongly you agree or disagree with these statements:
Following an evidence-based recommendation to reduce burnout was valuable to me.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This 8-week intervention will help me implement preventative strategies for burnout in my career.

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 Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

This Panopto presentation titled: “Nurse Burnout: What this is and how you can minimize it in your careers”

effectively taught me how I can reduce and address nurse burnout in my career.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
5 4 3 2 1

Completing the Big Five Personality Test was helpful for exploring my risk of nurse burnout.

Strongl Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

y Agree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

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