In America today, an unfortunate pattern is starting to emerge. More and more nurses are being diagnosed with depression and its cousin anxiety. With all of the benefits that having a nursing career can give (such as the ability to work in diverse environments, the ability to work practically anywhere and it being a recession and depression-proof career), how could so many nurses today begin seeking mental health professionals for depression?
According to studies, most nursing professionals are becoming more stressed due to lack of respect in the workplace, the long hours, the workplace constantly being understaffed, constantly being around sick patients, death and even the passion in these men and women to take care of others often times replaces their own need to take care of themselves first. It has become a mentality to forget about his or her well-being in order to serve the needs of others. All of this on top of the stress of everyday life.
Another study has shown that the depression rate nearly doubles for nurses working in a unit that has a 10% overcrowd rate than a normal hospital unit. Let’s give you an idea of what those numbers can mean: If two hospitals have 100 beds, but one of those two hospitals need 110 beds instead, the depression in the nurse staff doubles because of the added daily stress of being overcrowded.
Due to busy lifestyle, many of the nurses do not pay attention toward their own eating habits. Eating fast food everyday and not getting enough nutritious meal also leads nurses toward anxiety little by little. Since they aren’t getting all the vitamins, minerals and carbs, nurses suffer mental disorder.
One of the reasons believed to be why our nurses are suffering is the simple fact that they’re not necessarily mistreated, but they go under appreciated from their patients and their peers at work. Nurses do the dirty jobs most of us don’t want to do.
Nurses handle bodily fluids countless times per day, they deal with the sick and dying patients on top of the rude ones and worst of all: They don’t get recognition for all of their hard work. They receive patients who are unkind and blatantly rude, sometimes their bosses don’t recognize their work and dedication and sometimes even their peers don’t give them the credit they rightfully deserve.
Unfortunately, many nurses aren’t equipped to cope and handle those stresses on a daily basis. These RNs are most often times the ones who end up seeing someone about getting prescribed medication, while some choose not to seek out the help they might need.
There are those who do find ways to manage their mental health by finding means of venting. Some go to the gym while others do art, write music and even act. There are things you can do to help as well. Next time you’re in the hospital, be appreciative. Even if you’re in pain or sick, you can take a couple of seconds to tell the nurse on duty that he or she is doing a good job. You never know, you might make their day and hopefully, the depression these nurses are experiencing might start to fall.