So if you find yourself curled up on the couch exhausted from the day, or running home for a quick afternoon break, or if you get that rare golden opportunity to relax, or are simply homebound due to snow, check out these entertaining hobbies to get into this winter:

• Adult Colouring Books
  After becoming a trend only recently, adult colouring books have become the norm for professionals. They’re relaxing, therapeutic, and meditative. Adult colouring books cost very little, can be found in most book stores, and require very little to have a great coluring experience.
• Jewelry Making
  DIY projects, including jewelry making, have been the perfect hobbies to take up while stuck at home. Jewelry making in particular is relatively cheap, extremely creative, and studies have shown that it has the added benefit of protecting the brain from aging. You can also give out your best work as gifts or for special occasions!

• Puzzles
  Puzzles are an incredible way to engage yourself and focus on completing a task. They come in all different levels, from 50 pieces to 5,000 pieces, and can be completed at any time. You can buy puzzles to complete at home, download a puzzle app, or carry around a booklet of puzzles.

The post At Home Hobbies appeared first on Advanced Care.

• Plumber Crack – Think Paper Toss except in Plumber Crack, you’re aiming to toss ice cubes into a plumber’s crack! There are coins given as rewards for good aim, and you can even use the coins to purchase different clothes or tattoos for the plumber.
• $1000000 – If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to count a million dollars, look no further. This app lets you count a million dollars in either $50 or $100 bills. A million dollars hidden inside a completely pointless app.
• Funny Dumb Questions & Beyond! – Here you’ll be asked to answer an array of silly, nonsensical, and even cynical questions. You’ll get a good laugh out of this game – even if you fail to answer correctly.

The post 3 Entertaining Apps for Destressing appeared first on Advanced Care.

If anyone deserves a back rub and a foot massage, it’s you. While most people were starting DIY projects and competing in tik tok challenges, your scrubs became your second skin and your goggles made an imprint on your face that lasted for days. This past year posed a serious threat all over the world and you were on the front lines, fighting against it and not giving up.

So whether you’re snuggled up at home on a family zoom call or out there helping patients, remember to give yourselves a pat on the back.

You are the superheroes who live among us.

The post Nurses, Remember to Give Yourselves Some Credit appeared first on Advanced Care.

Once you get home after what seems like an eternity, what do you do? Maybe you instantly check Facebook, check your emails, or crash on the couch for the next three days.

But before you do all that, try simply breathing. Get home, put your keys and phone down for a second, don’t forget to take off your mask, and breathe. Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Deep breathing will naturally relax your body and make you feel calm.

Once that’s done, close your eyes for 10 seconds (you can set a timer), and picture something happy. It can be an ice cream sundae, leaves falling off the trees, or the adorable dog you saw on your way home from work. Putting this happy image in your head mentally puts you in an optimistic mood and will make you feel calm and in control, which is very important after a long, stressful shift.

The post How to Wind Down After a Long Shift appeared first on Advanced Care.

As you provide care to your patients, think of ways that would brighten their day, especially those that are at higher risk. Try taking a simple mask and writing your patient’s initials on it with a smiley face, or buying a pocket-sized hand sanitizer and present it to them wrapped in a bow. You can also put a smile on their face by making a thoughtful comment, such as inquiring about a family member your patient had mentioned or sharing a recent struggle you’ve experienced due to the virus.

At the end of the day, everyone could use a little extra sunshine.

The post How to Uplift Your Patients During Corona appeared first on Advanced Care.

Keep Composed. Appearing calm even if you are not feeling that way can help you feel calmer inside. Keep your voice as slow and steady as possible.

Keep Focused. Stay focused on the care that you need to provide your patients. Later, when you have time, you can debrief with a friend or colleague about the emotions that you felt.

Keep Positive – Remain focused on the positive. Don’t imagine the worst case scenario and practice positive self-talk. Taking a few deep breaths will also help to calm you down.

The post Techniques for Staying Calm as a Nurse appeared first on Advanced Care.

In addition to eating a healthy diet and taking the time to exercise, you also need to take care of your mind. Read anything that will uplift you, such as a good book, positive quotes or encouraging thoughts. Listening to music can also uplift you. Stay away from negativity and gossip.

Finally, find emotional support. Everyone, including nurses need someone who they can talk to about their feelings and frustrations.

The post Self-Care Tips for Nurses appeared first on Advanced Care.

Joining a professional nurse organization. Membership will allow you full access to resources and information, discounted rates for events & continuing education courses, to name a few.

Attending online courses and conferences. Many events have been moved online due to the pandemic and provides you with the opportunity to attend both local and international courses & conferences.

Reading nursing blogs. There are a variety of nursing blogs online, many of them are written by nurses for nurses discussing the latest news and current issues on nurses’ minds.

Download Nursing apps. Nursing apps are ideal for nurses on the go. Apps are constantly updated and provide nurses with information that is easy to access from their phone.

The post 4 Ways to Keep Up to Date as a Nurse appeared first on Advanced Care.

Why did I choose nursing? Think about what brings you the most fulfillment in your work and choose a specialty that will help you achieve that.

Which setting suits my personality best? Think about whether you thrive in fast-paced, constantly changing environments, such as an Emergency Room. Or whether you prefer something with a slower, calmer pace with opportunities to build long-term relationships with your patients such as home health.

Which population do I prefer to work with? Think about the population that you would most like to provide care for. Do you prefer working with children, adults or the elderly.

Also, research typical salary to make sure that it is aligned with your expectations, certifications you will need and the educational pre-requisites.

The post Questions to ask Yourself when Choosing a Nursing Specialty appeared first on Advanced Care.

Firstly, your body language can say a lot, without you saying a word. To improve your body language, try looking at yourself in front of a mirror and make sure that you are standing straight. When communicating with someone, maintain eye contact which shows interest and confidence in yourself.

Practice active listening. Active listening is the type of listening where you convey your understanding by repeating back the main points to the other person.

In nursing you will have a variety of conversations that can lead to different emotions such as anger or upset. Be aware of how your emotions may be affecting the way you communicate and train yourself to remain professional and courteous during difficult conversations.

The post Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills as a Nurse appeared first on Advanced Care.