Great gifts for the nurse in your life
If there’s one surefi re secret to
success for choosing a gift for the
nurse in your life, it’s this: think
pampering. Nurses spend nearly all of
their working life on their feet, bending,
lifting, twisting, and turning —
and all in service of others.
So when it’s time to show some appreciation
for all that he or she does
every day, a gift of self-nurturing will
go a long way. Here are some easy gift
solutions that are sure to be appreciated:
Spa services: Give the gift of relaxation
and rejuvenation. A certifi cate
for a massage, facial, or even a manipedi
will no doubt be received with a
smile.
Pampering products: Take a gift
basket, head to your local drug store,
grocery chain, or specialty retailer,
and fi ll it with an array of soothing
and beautifying products. Great ideas
include shower gel, bath salts, body lotion,
facial moisturizers, and a bath
sponge.
The gift of time: Nurses are
caregivers whose work lives revolve
around the needs of others, so the gift
of time can be the most special present
of all. If the special nurse in your life
needs some time to rest, refresh, and
revive, think about showering her or
him with a day or even a weekend of
nothingness. Clear the calendar. Turn
off the phone. Take over the cooking,
cleaning, grocery shopping, and errands.
Hobby basket: Often nurses need
to be reminded to take care of themselves
and to do the things they enjoy.
If your favorite nurse has a forgotten
hobby or dormant interest, renew his
or her focus with a basket fi lled with
items. For crafters, a set of new supplies
might rekindle a lost interest,
while for the nurse who loves to get
lost in a good book, a selection of new
magazines or books by a favorite author
can spark a renewed interest in
reading.
Homemade coupon book: Treat
the nurse in your life to a homemade
coupon book fi lled with offers for a
romantic evening out, weekend laundry
service, a night off from doing the
dishes, a car wash or cleaning, and so
on. The possibilities are endless!
Happy feet: Practical gifts can
also be pampering, and for nurses, the
most practical gift could be a new pair
of super-comfortable, ultra-supportive
work shoes or some snazzy new scrubs.
If you don’t want to make the purchase
yourself, consider a gift certifi cate to
a local retailer or an online specialty
BRONX TIMES R 22 EPORTER, MAY 22-28, 2015 BT
When it’s time to show some appreciation for all that a nurse does every day, a gift of selfnurturing
clothing or footwear site.
Nice necessities: If you’re shopping
for a recent nursing school graduate,
you can’t go wrong with a gift
certifi cate to a medical supply retailer
or items such as an easy-to-read watch
with a second hand. A roomy, insulated
lunch bag and water bottle or
a current drug reference guide also
makes a great and practical gift.
National Nurses Week 2019
Like police offi cers, fi refi ghters,
doctors, paramedics, and pilots,
nurses are at risk for developing
shift work sleep disorder, a syndrome
characterized by prolonged insomnia
and excessive sleepiness due to
the interruption of the body’s natural
sleep-wake cycles. While having a nontraditional
work schedule does not automatically
lead to the disorder, an increasing
number of jobs require shift
work, and there has been a rise in the
number of people reporting symptoms
of the disorder.
Studies show that shift workers tend
to both sleep fewer hours during each
24-hour period and experience less satisfactory
sleep than non-shift workers.
Over a prolonged period of time, the
loss of sleep and normal sleep rhythms
can lead to diffi culty concentrating, remembering
information, and making
decisions. Other symptoms include impaired
hand-eye coordination and increased
reaction times, both of which
pose risks in a medical setting.
Sleep deprivation among nurses
has become one of the most common
issues affecting the quality of care in
hospitals as well as the physical and
mental health of the care providers
themselves. Nurses who experience
excessive sleepiness have been shown
to make more mistakes when administering
drugs and using medical equipment.
In addition to having have high
rates of absenteeism and high incidents
of automobile accidents, people
who suffer from shift work sleep disorder
are also at risk for developing serious
health problems, including obesity,
heart disease, diabetes, anxiety,
and depression.
Shift workers cope with interrupted
sleep cycles in a variety of ways, from
consuming caffeinated beverages to
taking sleep aids, but the only true
remedy for sleepiness is to sleep. For
many workers with nontraditional
work schedules, avoiding the disorder
comes down to two things — making
sleep a priority and learning to nap.
Here are some tips for nurses, and
anyone suffering from shift work sleep
disorder, to get a better’s night sleep:
Make sleep a priority. When it’s
time to snooze, make your sleep space
a “do not disturb” zone. Turn off the
phone. Block out or eliminate noise
from other parts of the home. Darken
your bedroom with blackout shades or
by wearing an eye mask.
Schedule exercise to aid sleep.
Exercise is a key factor in establishing
healthy sleep habits. Set aside time for
aerobic exercise during the work week
but not within three hours of bedtime.
Since exercise raises your body temperature,
it can be harder to fall asleep
soon after.
Plan ahead. Begin to change your
sleep schedule three days prior to a
shift change. On each of the three
days, adjust your bedtime and wake
time by one to two hours so that your
circadian rhythm has a chance to adjust
before the change.
Nap smart. Night workers — especially
those who have been awake for
several hours prior to their shift — can
benefi t from a 30-minute nap prior to
leaving for work. Whenever possible,
fi nd a spot at work for a 10-minute catnap
during your break. If you become
sleepy while driving home, pull over
for some quick shuteye.
will go a long way.
Nurses at risk for shift work sleep disorder
People who suffer from shift work sleep disorder, such as busy nurses, are also at risk for
developing serious health problems