Nurses urged to ensure self-care as they provide healthcare

With burnout epidemic and stress levels skyrocketing, a nursing consultant paints a vivid picture of a profession on the brink. Her solution? A self-care programme designed to stem the tide of nurses fleeing to greener pastures abroad.

As she addressed a rapt audience of future caregivers at a Student Nurses Association installation ceremony at the Barbados Community College (BCC), Kathleen Brathwaite’s message is clear: to heal others, they must first learn to heal themselves.

Brathwaite said that across the healthcare system, too many nurses were feeling burnt out and stressed, and there was not an adequate framework or policy to properly address the issues nurses were facing.

This was one of the main reasons that contributed to the ongoing nursing shortage, she said, as many practitioners seek better opportunities abroad.

“Every day, we operate in high-stakes, high-pressure environments,” she said.

“The human body is designed to handle short bursts of stress, but in nursing, that stress is constant. Imagine being in a state of emergency, adrenaline rushing, over and over again. Over time, our nervous system normalises crisis mode, making it harder to relax even outside of work. This ongoing stress exposure is why so many nurses struggle with exhaustion, anxiety, and even trauma.”

Brathwaite added that being overworked and experiencing high levels of stress created a toxic work environment, which ultimately led to friction between managers and employees.

She called for a system to be put in place to ensure workers could practice self-care and warned that failing to do so could result in employee absenteeism.
Brathwaite said: “The systems don’t allow for robust and dynamic changes and if I’m honest sometimes we lack the knowhow through relevant processes on how to advocate and sometimes we get desperate and run to social media. Unfortunately, though it may gain some public traction and sensitisation to the challenges faced, on the other side of the pendulum cements public mistrust, internal victimisation and reprimand and structural reprimand, it also creates a divide between colleagues. What do I mean when I say that? The heads come down on you, it becomes more about the route of frustration than the message and the message is quieted. While you are left there saying how do I get these people to understand we are suffering, so you just stay silent.

“Self-care then becomes a necessary punishment. What do I mean? It’s not ‘I will intentionally set out time daily to build that resilience’, it becomes ‘I’ve had enough of in there, I ain’t going in today’. Or ‘If she barely get me vex, I gine on a few days sick leave’. Again masking the symptom because you are returning to the same thing without building resilience based on your experiences.”

Stressing that self-care was not selfish, the nursing consultant advised the scores of student nurses in the audience that they must prioritise self-care to sustain their careers and live fulfilled lives.

She said: “How many of you have skipped meals, worked through exhaustion, or ignored your own health to care for others? Isn’t it ironic that we advocate for our patients but fail to advocate for ourselves? We don’t do a great job of integrating self-care into our profession.

“We cannot wait until nurses reach their breaking point before offering support.

Proactive care means understanding the nuances of the space, the traumas associated with the healthcare worker journey, integrating self-care into our models and frameworks, before burnout happens.”

Brathwaite suggested some strategies to handle stress when things get overwhelming in the workplace.

“The whole gamut of self-care speaks to small, intentional, consistent habits practised daily to refill your cup. It’s about developing strategies and skills to build capacity to handle the roles you play, rather than constantly running on empty. Self-care isn’t just about comfort—it’s not even about preventing mistakes, but minimising them, honouring your body and mind. It’s about setting boundaries, ensuring rest, eating well, and seeking support when needed, maintaining your well-being, and ensuring you can continue providing safe, high-quality care.”

Some of the practical strategies for on-the-job care she recommended are:
● The Pause Method – Before reacting to stress, take a deep breath, step back, and reset. Invest in a coach or mentor to help you on this journey.
● Reframing Challenges – Instead of saying, “I can’t do this,” try, “What can I learn from this?”
● Micro-recharges – Small actions, like stretching, taking five deep breaths, or stepping outside, can reset your nervous system and keep you going.
The installation ceremony officially welcomed the new executive members of the Barbados Student Nurses Association to their posts. Timeka Layne has taken over the presidency from Danny Mayers. (SZB)