Episode 19: When Passion Fades: How to Rekindle Your Love for Nursing

This podcast episode talks about how to get your love for nursing back, especially if you feel you've lost it because of complicated things like the COVID-19 pandemic or burnout.

 The host tells nurses to think about what got them interested in nursing in the first place and to find a great team that practises thanks and emotional support to help them find their passion again.

 Nurses are also told to look inside themselves to determine what led to their burnout so it doesn't happen again.

Transcript

Intro
To say it’s been a crazy few years would be an understatement. We live in an ever changing world, one constantly challenging people to their very core. It is because of this we aim to create assuredness in an uncertain world. 

Welcome to the Project ReNew podcast, a show for nurses - and angels looking to help nurses - and anyone in search of motivation. Let’s bring you and your passion back to where you were when you first started out. Let’s reignite that fire together.

 This is the Project ReNew Podcast.


When Passion Fades: How to Rekindle Your Love for Nursing

Getting Your Passion Back

The Problem Think back to when you were a small child. I want you to envision the time you first realized that you wanted to be a nurse. Perhaps it was during your school vaccinations, or perhaps it was the first time you took a trip to the emergency room after falling and breaking a bone. Maybe you had nurses in your family, and you used to admire that person in their uniform, going out to help people in your local community. Maybe you saw a medical book in the library and was fascinated by the inner workings of the human body. 

Perhaps you learned about Florence Nightingale and history, and thought “I could do that - I want to help people. I want to be a nurse.”

Whatever your admirable cause is for wanting to be a nurse, what you must remember is that your heart was in the right place. It feels poignant, tinged with sadness to look back at this point in time - nursing was always your dream, and suddenly your dream has turned into a living nightmare. Nursing is the career that you have trained for years in, studied for, worked so hard to get into school for, and been so proud when you qualified, has suddenly taken a turn for the worst. You may have not seen this coming, maybe the pandemic hit you like a tonne of bricks. Or perhaps this was building up before the pandemic, and it has been a slow erosion over time.

Whatever your personal reason is,  you are listening to an episode about how to regain your passion back for nursing-so it is safe to assume that your passion has been lost somewhere along the way. The good news is you are at the point in time that you want to regain it. It is perfectly possible to regain your passion for nursing, especially when you have been in this profession for so long and are so experienced and advanced.

 It is perfectly normal to question your career, especially when you have been through a traumatizing time such as the pandemic. Be kind to yourself as we go through the different ways to get your passion back for the career you once loved.

The Explanation

 At this point in time, it is perfectly normal to be questioning your career decisions, and trying to understand if you are in the right career for you.

 The pandemic has been extremely challenging, both physically and mentally, and in all honesty you are lucky to make it through alive. Going through such a life-changing global experience is enough to make you re-evaluate your morals, your purpose in life, and your values.

You may have realized that by coming so close to death, working extraordinary shifts that are exhausting, traumatic, and demoralizing, you no longer wish to continue in the same career. And you know what? Nobody would blame you. In a career witnessing such a high toll of death, you may be craving a new lease of life, wanting to seize it with both hands.

Alternatively, you may be absolutely exhausted, feeling resentful and bitter about staying in a career which has absolutely ground you down. You may have decided to give it one last go, and you want to regain that initial love and Spark that you had for nursing  when you're a child.

Although you cannot change the past, you can initially look back towards the past to find out what it was about nursing that originally captivated you. The Solution Finding an excellent team that practices gratitude and emotional support is key to regaining passion for nursing. Nursing is one of those jobs where you know that you will have an extremely hard shift everyday, but what can get you through is a group of amazing colleagues facing the same trauma everyday, and supporting each other through it.

When you are supported through your emotional traumatic experience, you feel safe and heard when your colleagues are also supporting you alongside. If you are struggling to find a team that wants to make a difference in the life of others whilst also supporting each other's mental health, try rotating departments or agreeing to redeployment, until you find your tribe of nurses that can get you through the dark days and help you to re-find your love of nursing again.

 A Question to Consider Do you want to regain your passion for nursing, or have you folded your cards and you are out of the game? I want you to really think about that question. Don't just give a knee jerk reaction because it is a yes or no question - really think through your answer, as it has an impact on the rest of your life. I will ask again. Do you actually want to regain your passion?

Or is it time in life to discover a new passion? Nobody can answer this question apart from yourself. You will have to do deep inner work to understand whether you are coming towards the end of your nursing career, and are ready to begin a new life in a different field. Change can be scary - but staying in a career that you are no longer passionate about will slowly eat away at your soul over time. Life is short - don't do  something you're no longer happy with. As a nurse, you are highly skilled, and will be desired by so many different professions.

 However, if that answer was an immediate yes, it is important to also do some introspection to understand your reasons behind your burnout, to avoid it happening again. For example, did you fall out of love with your nursing career because it takes away from your family time? If so, it is time to re-prioritize and reschedule your work around your family life.

Sources For Help and Advice

 https://www.canadian-nurse.com/blogs/cn-content/2022/05/02/healing-nurses-amid-the-p andemic-bringing-the-art https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/pandemic-inspires-futur e-nurses-welcome-increase-school-and-college-leavers-looking-enter-profession https://www.elsevier.com/connect/what-does-2021-hold-for-nurses-and-the-nursing-profe ssion https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jul/13/there-were-moments-i-questioned-mypassion-for-the-job-the-overseas-nurses-helping-to-keep-the-nhs-running https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/opinion/editorial/where-next-how-pandemic-has-madenurses-reconsider-their-careers-180771 https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n1105 https://nursejournal.org/ask-a-nurse/is-it-worth-becoming-a-nurse-in-a-pandemic

Outro

We really hope you enjoyed this episode of the Project ReNew Podcast. Stay connected with us through www.ProjectReNew.Co. You can also join this discussion on Twitter @ProjectReNewPod, and on Instagram at @ProjectReNewPodcast. If you would like to speak with us, please send us an email through our website. As always, thank you for pushing your mindset and your heart towards a better reality. This concludes the most thought-provoking part of your day. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to stay fully up to date. Until next time, be kind to yourself, and to
each other.

 As a fellow nurse, I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for each and every one of our listeners. 

As nurses, we are all part of an essential and noble profession, and our dedication and hard work make a real difference in the lives of our patients. 

As Brené Brown says, ' Resilience is the ability to move through difficult experiences and to come out on the other side with wisdom and compassion.' 

Our podcast is dedicated to exploring resilience from trauma and the pandemic, providing practical advice and reviews of symptoms to help our listeners navigate these challenging times.

It's important to note that the information provided in our podcast is for educational and informational purposes only.

 The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

 Always seek the advice of your physician, other qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.

 As a colleague, I encourage you to continue to listen to our podcast, engage with the content, and use it to enhance your nursing practice and further your professional and personal growth."