Setting boundaries for a healthier nursing profession

Types of boundaries

There are two varieties of boundaries, internal and external:

• Internal boundaries – those who we force ourselves to have (e.g. arriving at work on time) or that we don’t allow ourselves to have (saying “yes” to things on the expense of our own well-being). They help us manage our actions, feelings and behaviors, ensuring that we maintain our personal integrity and well-being and don’t overload ourselves.
• External boundaries – those we establish with others (see the story below in regards to the scrotum incident). These boundaries regulate what we do and don’t allow others to do to us, ensuring that our interactions with others are respectful and don’t impact our personal or skilled well-being.

When I reflect on my profession, I realize that I didn’t push myself to the boundaries at work; I just gave, gave, gave. But after I began to understand that my needs mattered too, that I didn’t need to say “yes” to everyone, and that my price wasn’t tied to how hard I worked or what number of “yes” I could say in a 12-hour period, I actually began to enjoy giving.

Early in my nursing profession, I encountered a situation that became a defining moment. A patient who knows the way to maintain personal hygiene asked me to use lotion to his scrotum. Yes, you heard that right. It was one in every of those moments whenever you look closely and wonder should you’ve suddenly change into the unwitting star of a hidden camera show.

This request was uncomfortable to say the least and raised a key query: “Is this part of my job?” If I say no, does that mean I’m providing poor customer support? After a transient internal debate, during which I mentally flipped through the “Nursing Responsibilities I Never Expected” manual, I made a decision to say no. Luckily!

It was an early lesson in understanding my skilled limitations and private comfort zone. This event taught me that not every patient request is cheap or appropriate and that it’s okay to refuse. If there’s a fast path to burnout, it’s undoubtedly not setting boundaries.

This episode was a transparent example of creating an external boundary with the patient. I drew a line within the sand to massage the scrotum. I could help them put them on the pillow, but massage them? It’s a difficult journey, I’m sorry.

While this story may tap into the humorous side of nursing, it also highlights a less obvious aspect of our occupation: setting boundaries doesn’t at all times involve big, dramatic stances. It is usually the quieter and more subtle decisions we make that protect our well-being and esteem. It’s about knowing where to attract the road, even when it seems to shift with each latest patient or each latest situation. And sometimes it’s about finding the strength to say “no,” even when every a part of you wonders should you’re a part of a really strange joke.

Feeling guilty about setting boundaries is a typical problem, especially in professions dedicated to caring for others. It is essential to know that setting boundaries just isn’t an indication of imperfection or selfishness, but a step towards sustainable care. It is crucial to acknowledge guilt as a natural response that could be managed and adjusted. Remember that caring for yourself helps you’re taking higher care of others, and setting boundaries is a crucial a part of self-care.