Start Small: Supporting Your Mental Health as a Nurse
Everyone needs mental health support—especially nurses. In caring for others, it’s easy to lose sight of your own well-being. A 2024 survey from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) found that 90% of nurses reported some level of burnout. Systemic issues like staffing shortages and heavy workloads are major contributors—challenges no mindfulness checklist can solve. Still, small intentional steps toward self-care can make a real difference in how you cope and recover.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care looks different for everyone. It means supporting your physical, mental, emotional, and social health in ways that work for you. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or perfect. The goal is to build simple habits that help you feel more grounded.
Things to Try
- Create a sleep routine that fits your shifts
- Read more with this article from the Sleep Foundation or check out the National Institute for Health and Safety (NIOSH)
- Stay hydrated and plan meals that work on busy day
- Make time with friends and family
- Talk to someone
- Try meditation or breath-work
- Start a journal for post-shift thoughts
- Get a few minutes of fresh air everyday
- Move your body
- Carve out time for hobbies
- Be kind to yourself: “Would I speak to a friend this way?”
You don’t have to do it all. Start with one or two habits and build from there.
Resources for Alberta Nurses
- AHS Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642
- CMHA Alberta
- Wellness Together Canada
- Talk Suicide Canada
Nurses are often the first to care for others—but that doesn’t mean you come last. The realities of burnout and system-wide pressures are real, and self-care isn’t a solution to these issues. But it is a way to protect your energy in a tough environment.
Reaching out for support isn’t a weakness—it’s how you keep going. Your mental health matters.
Author
Erika Kana (RN).
Erika is located in Calgary, Alberta. For the past two years, she’s been specializing in emergency medicine. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing with her dog, and writing health content.
