Code Calm: A Nurse's Guide To Surviving and Thriving

Have you ever cried in the supply closet? Have you ever driven home after a brutal shift and thought, “I can’t do this anymore?” You’re not alone. And you’re not broken. Nursing is one of the most demanding professions on the planet, and no one in nursing school warned you that the traumas, micro-traumas, relentless shift work, and impossible workloads would quietly pile up until one day you’re running on no sleep, skipping meals, and wondering where the passionate, purpose-driven nurse you used to be went. Burnout isn’t a weakness. It’s what happens when incredible people are pushed past their limits for too long without the right tools to cope. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, out of control, or like you’re one bad shift away from walking out the door, this book is for you. Written by nurses, Code Calm is the honest, practical, compassionate guide the nursing curriculum forgot to include. Inside, you’ll learn how to: Set firm, healthy boundaries without the guilt Finally sleep like a human, even on rotating shifts Manage the stress and secondary trauma that come with the job Reclaim your identity and relationships inside and outside of work Rediscover the passion that made you choose nursing in the first place We’ve been in your shoes. We’ve felt the exhaustion, the despair, and the creeping fear that maybe you made the wrong choice. We didn’t. And neither did you. You just need a better toolkit. Read on to feel energized, empowered, and genuinely passionate about nursing again, while finally learning to care for yourself the same way you care for your patients. Code Calm benefits the Nurse Support Network, because every nurse deserves support. Contributing Authors Maggie Aime, MSN, RN James C. Boomhower, MS, LMHC-A, FP-C Carolyn Harmon, BSN, RN Tiffany Gibson, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CPN Wendy Garvin Mayo, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC Jennifer Herrmeyer, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN Shelby Jones, MSN, RN Blake Lynch, BSN, RN (Nurse Blake) Giovanna Navarro, BSN, RN Kasey Pacheco-Moran, BSN, RN, HNB-BC Danyel Portillo, BSN, RN Margaret Veloski, BSN, MBA, RN Edited by Margaret Veloski, BSN, MBA, RN Jennifer Herrmeyer, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN