Behavioral skills can help someone flourish in school, work, home, and social settings. A registered behavior technician® (RBT®) works one-on-one with children, teens, or adults, addressing unique challenges so people can learn new skills and increase their capacity for communication, autonomy, and connection.
What’s it like to be an RBT working with children on the autism spectrum? We interviewed Simone Burgess, an RBT with the BAYADA Pennsauken Center for Applied Behavior Analysis, about her work. What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.
How did you become interested in working as a registered behavior technician? What drew you to it? How long have you been doing it?
I was grappling with my career path when finishing my psychology degree.
Coincidentally, I had a friend who was an RBT and recommended the role to me. I began watching clips of how parents worked with their children on the autism spectrum. The hook for me was how your work with someone can elicit a calmer demeanor, behavior changes, and progress.
I’ve been an RBT for one year, and I enjoy it so much that I recently applied to Rowan University’s master’s program to become a board-certified behavior analyst® (BCBA®). I’ve also started educating with the BAYADA RBT® Academy, helping others certify as RBTs.
Briefly explain what you do as an RBT. What types of patients do you serve? What ages are they, and how are they approved for the program? What do you provide for them?
As an RBT, I work one-on-one with children using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), a type of therapy considered the gold standard for learning and skills practice for individuals with autism. Before coming to our center, children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Then, they undergo an assessment with a BAYADA Board Certified Behavior Analyst to evaluate skills and goals and to determine their unique ABA program. As RBTs, we collaborate with BCBAs on all aspects of care and receive supervision. Some RBTs work with children with developmental disabilities; our center works primarily with children on the spectrum.
Our center’s setting for an ABA session is nothing like a clinical therapy office. It’s full of toys for engagement and supplies for painting—clients’ art projects adorn the walls. We do a lot of Natural Environment Teaching (NET), letting each child choose their activity or guide them to one. Within NET, I’ll prompt children to respond through visualization or narrate what they are working on.
Children are at the center for half or full days. Tasks like independent eating or bathroom usage are, naturally, essential parts! Some children are new to environments other than their homes, so the plan to help encourage independence varies based on the child. We always offer food without forcing it to prevent unintended fear. I work with 2-3 clients per day.
Each child’s needs and ABA programs are different. One child has difficulty transitioning to discrete trial training (DTT), an ABA methodology that breaks down skills into small components, like flashcards. I patiently wait until she’s ready. When she gets there, we offer praise, a significant part of ABA therapy.
Did you need to get additional education to become an RBT?
All RBTs complete the Registered Behavior Technician® certification and 40-hour training, which includes lectures, Q&A, observing clients, and skill-based assessments. Guided by a BCBA, we assess how trainees apply their knowledge to clients, equipping them with plenty of support and suggestions for improvement. While you don’t need a background in mental health to be an RBT, getting the right training is essential.
What do you like most about working in your job?
I worked with one child who had limited language. With ABA, his language has progressed so much that he can communicate his wants. His anger and frustration decreased when he learned communication skills through Natural Environment Teaching. Seeing improvements and the desire children have to become independent is so meaningful. ABA isn’t about changing our clients—we are trying to help them have more appropriate skills for life. Also, you never know what to expect, and no two days are the same. I find this part so fun!
What are your biggest challenges?
Children feed off your energy, leading to increased behaviors, so staying calm and uplifting is key. This includes having a neutral face and tone and keeping your body and mind centered as you navigate high-intensity moments.
What are the most significant rewards in your work?
The biggest reward is watching children as they start versus seeing their progress a few months later. I even enjoy watching the changes with clients I’m not working with. It feels like something we all get to celebrate.
Is there anything else that is important for our readers to know?
The job requires a lot of multitasking—I’m constantly inputting notes based on my sessions while providing instruction and close attention. Being an RBT is something you have to have a special heart for. Ultimately, your bond with the children you work with makes the role so fulfilling.
As a profession, nursing is often viewed as both an art and a science. On the one hand, there’s the art of communication, connection, emotional and relational intelligence, and navigating the multifaceted aspects of the nurse-patient relationship and the collaborative nature of care delivery.
On the other hand, we have the science of nursing and the deep well of intellectual savvy and scientific insight that serve as the underpinnings of evidence-based care and a constantly expanding body of nursing literature.
For nurses who seek opportunities beyond the clinical space, being a nurse scientist is a career that captures the imagination of certain nurses who love nothing more than diving deep into questions that can be addressed through intelligent and well-organized research.
Career Options Beyond the Clinical Space
Many nurses are unaware of career options beyond the bedside. However, there’s much to be excited about for nurses open to alternative career pathways.
Danielle Sarik, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, is a nurse scientist and pediatric nurse practitioner with an inspiring career history. While she has cared directly for patients in China, Botswana, Nicaragua, and the U.S., Dr. Sarik’s current focus is research on healthcare evaluation, with an emphasis on the factors that influence safety, health outcomes, healthcare delivery, and the nursing workforce.
Sarik, who directs nursing research and evidence-based practice for a stand-alone pediatric hospital, is a Senior Fellow of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and a Senior Policy Service Professor at George Washington University. She is an active member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the Institute of Pediatric Nursing (IPN), where she serves in a leadership role. She loves connecting with nurses interested in starting research, building their evidence-based practice skillset, or exploring health policy issues.
When asked about career possibilities for nurses, Dr. Sarik is enthusiastic about the range of choices they enjoy.
“One of the really exciting things about a career in nursing is the vast range of positions and settings,” Sarik shares. “While many nurses provide direct care in hospitals or clinics, alternative careers include working in administrative or leadership roles, faculty positions, or as a nurse scientist. A great resource to explore some of these possibilities is the Institute of Pediatric Nursing’s Career Pathway Tool, which highlights training and education for different nursing careers.”
What is a Nurse Scientist?
In describing what nurse scientists do, Dr. Sarik says the title nurse scientist refers to an individual who has studied and become certified as a nurse (RN, APRN) and then pursued additional doctorate education (PhD, DNP) to gain advanced research training and expertise.
She continues, “A nurse scientist is often an expert in developing and conducting studies, analyzing outcomes, and disseminating knowledge through writing and presentations. Many nurse scientists will have an area of research expertise, such as the nursing workforce, symptom management, or health disparities.”
In terms of the settings where nurse scientists are employed, Sarik comments, “Nurse scientists can practice in many environments, with the most common being healthcare facilities and academic institutions. Because the role is not narrowly defined, you can find nurse scientists with different day-to-day focus and long-term goals. However, most are involved in conducting research, supporting scholarship, teaching, publishing, and providing leadership.”
Improving Patient Care Delivery
Improving patient care is often top of mind for many nurses and healthcare professionals, and nurse scientists are no exception.
“Nurse scientists can play a critical role in improving patient care and supporting and advancing innovation in the clinical setting,” Sarik observes. Because nurse scientists are clinically trained and often embedded in clinical sites, they can identify challenges in real-time and partner with interprofessional teams to create solutions.”
Sarik shares, “The combination of clinical and research training helps nurse scientists quickly identify and address potential issues and facilitates meaningful collaboration with diverse stakeholders (e.g., nurses, physicians, patients, families, therapists).”
In terms of nurses embracing the scientist role, Sarik observes, “Health systems are increasingly recognizing the value of nurse scientists, and demand for the role is expanding.” She continues, “National organizations such as the National Pediatric Nurse Scientist Collaborative (NPNSC) exist to help these specialized nurses collaborate and share lessons learned.”
Becoming a Nurse Scientist
Dr. Sarik has extensive experience and knowledge of navigating the role and career path of the nurse scientist.
“To gain research training and expertise, most nurses will need to pursue a PhD in nursing or a related field,” she advises. “PhD coursework is focused on creating and evaluating new knowledge and requires many research and statistical classes. Nationally, few nurses have a PhD, with estimates at less than 2 percent. If you’re interested in creating, implementing, and evaluating your research, publishing, and applying for large federal grants (e.g., NIH), the PhD is likely the path for you.”
When it comes to the DNP avenue, Sarik states, “The DNP is a doctorate that has seen huge growth in recent years. Unlike the PhD, which focuses on research, DNPs often focus on translating research to evidence-based practice. Some DNPs will pursue additional training in research, and in some settings, they may lead research as well.”
Sarik continues, “Other differences include whether these programs can be completed remotely/asynchronously (most PhDs are at least partially in-person), and the associated cost (most PhDs are funded, while DNPs are not). Talking to people who have gone through both types of programs can be helpful in your decision-making process.”
Is Being a Nurse Scientist for You?
“For nurses interested in this field, a first step would be to see if your setting has a nurse scientist,” states Dr. Sarik. “Setting up time to talk about the career path and potentially shadow can help provide meaningful information. Additionally, organizations such as IPN and NPNSC are great resources.”
Sarik adds, “While a PhD is a large time commitment, many programs are fully funded. This means that a stipend will be provided to the student [in addition to free tuition], sometimes in exchange for research or teaching support. This is different than most MSN or DNP programs, which require that students pay out of pocket or with loans.”
Nurse Scientists Gain Traction
Sarik is enthusiastic about the growth of the nurse scientist discipline.
“The clinical nurse scientist role is gaining traction and recognition, allowing nurses to combine their clinical expertise, research training, and desire to improve patient and health outcomes at the point of care. It’s the best of all the different pieces of me, and every day is a bit like a ‘choose your own adventure’ experience.”
Dr. Sarik concludes, “I feel incredibly fortunate to work closely with dedicated nurses and clinicians, provide infrastructure and education to create the next generation of nurse scientists and use my research expertise to improve transitions of care for pediatric patients and families. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine a better role.”
Meet Dr. Deborah Dolan Hunt, PhD, RN, a nurse who is making a positive impact as an educator, writer, and scholar. She is a full professor at the Dr. Betty L. Forest Dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health at Adelphi University and has authored three essential nursing books for Springer Publishing: Fast Facts About the Nursing Profession, The New Nurse Educator, and The Nurse Professional.
Dr. Hunt says that many things bring passion to her work, and writing and nursing have always been her passions. Throughout her nursing career, she has held various fulfilling roles and currently collaborates with her colleagues to prepare future nurses, advanced practice nurses, and healthcare professionals for their professional practice roles.
Here are three of Dr. Hunt’s books that belong on your bookshelf.
Summary: Captures the essence of pivotal events and individuals in nursing history.
Key Features
Provides important historical content often neglected in today’s nursing programs
Delivers concise, easy-to-read information about important events and influential nursing luminaries
Describes how nurses have influenced health and wellness across the lifespan
Highlights key points with “Fast Facts in a Nutshell” boxes
Includes an interview with the president of the American Association for the History of Nursing, a chapter on the relevance of nursing history by a noted nurse historian, and a chapter on influential nurses in history by a noted nursing leader and educator
Summary: Guides novice nurse educators through the challenging process of transitioning from service to academe, addressing the fundamentals of teaching, evaluation, and curriculum development, as well as the entire spectrum of skills and duties required of the nurse educator.
Key Features
Provides efficient, step-by-step information on all components of being a nurse educator/faculty member
Helps nurses transition from service roles to educator/faculty roles
Includes advice from novice and seasoned nurse educators, nurse leaders, and nursing theorists
Includes learning objectives and review questions in each chapter
Provides sample forms and documents for CVs and developing course content
Description: Helps novices prepare for their transition into a “real world” role from being a student through graduation, NCLEX success, job search, first job, and beyond. It is the only book to cover all the steps new nurses must take to ensure a smooth transition into the professional role.
Key Features
“Top 10 Tips” in chapters concisely highlight important topics
Examples of useful forms and documents are available in chapter appendices
Delivers specific, practical strategies and exercises for a successful transition and entry into practice
Written by an experienced nurse/educator and nurse mentor who has extensive experience regarding how new nurses transition into practice
If you are interested in other nursing books, check out Springer Publishing’s collection of nursing titles available here.
Rebellion is a rite of passage for young adults, especially when following in their parents’ footsteps. So, when Angeleen Campbell, the daughter of two registered nurses, set her sights on a career in accounting, it seemed perfectly normal.
But destiny, or perhaps a more potent force like genetics, had other plans. Witnessingher family’sdedication to caring for her ailing grandmother at home sparked a flicker of inspiration in Angeleen, slowly but surely nudging her towards a path she initially swore to avoid.
“Caring for my grandmother was heartfelt and meaningful, and it was the catalyst for me finally considering a nursing career…to the delight of my parents,” Angeleen says, laughing.
Daily Nurse proudly names Angeleen Campbell and Maria Campbell Nurses of the Week for inspiring a legacy of care in their nursing roles at BAYADA Home Health Care.
From Spreadsheets to Stethoscopes
Angeleen has been a licensed practical nurse (LPN) for seven years. Her mother, Maria Campbell, is a seasoned registered nurse (RN) with five decades of experience. The remarkable mother-daughter duo embodies the spirit of nursing at BAYADA Home Health Care in Pennsauken, NJ, where they’ve spent four and more than 20 years, respectively.
Maria’s journey began in medical-surgical nursing at a hospital. After starting a family, she navigated various healthcare settings—orthopedics, private duty, and a nursing home—before returning to school to fulfill her dream of working with children. This passion led her to BAYADA Pediatrics, where she thrived for over two decades, specializing in caring for children who rely on a ventilator for respiratory support.
After earning her LPN, Angeleen honed her skills in caring for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities before transitioning to complex pediatric care. The supportive environment and familiar faces, including the unexpected opportunity to care for her own mother’s now-adult clients, made BAYADA a natural fit.
Baby Angeleen and Mom
The Benefits of a Career in Home Care
Home care offers the flexibility Maria and Angeleen crave. It allows them to balance work and personal lives, go on cruises, and explore new places—a stark contrast to the limitations of traditional hospital schedules. Beyond flexibility, home care provides a unique sense of autonomy and the ability to witness the outcomes of their care.
“You can see the immediate impact,” Angeleen says. The families appreciate getting their babies home for the first time. I get to provide continuing education for the family and develop their confidence in caring for their child. It can be stressful, but it’s joyous.”
Their shared passion extends beyond the workplace. Maria and Angeleen readily seek each other’s advice and support.
“There are no boundaries! We talk shop all the time,” Angeleen says, laughing with Maria.
Maria’s wisdom, honed over a long career, guides her daughter’s burgeoning clinical experience and helps her nursing colleagues, with whom she shares her mother’s “nuggets” of wisdom.
“She gets sick of listening to me, sure, but not of my nursing advice,” Maria says. “I think she’ll go much further than me.”
Angeleen is taking full advantage of the tuition assistance BAYADA provides and plans to further her education to pursue a role in nursing administration.
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
Two distinguished clinicians, Mona Potter, M.D. and Kathryn Boger, Ph.D., ABPP, both Harvard-trained and with nearly two decades of experience in academic medicine, embarked on a mission to revolutionize the pediatric mental health system. Their journey began when they co-developed the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program (MAMP) at McLean Hospital, and then they were determined to apply what they had learned to a larger scale.
Dr. Potter, a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, saw firsthand the positive impact of effective treatment for children and adolescents struggling with anxiety and OCD. “Providing children and teens with the right treatment can be “life-changing,” says Dr. Potter.
Together, they co-founded InStride Health, which provides mental health treatment for children, teens, and young adults based on a program rooted in academic medicine to make high-quality care more accessible to families. Since its inception, InStride’s program has made significant strides, operating in eight states. With a recent influx of Series B funding, the company is poised for further expansion, forging new partnerships with health plans to extend its insurance-based virtual specialty treatment for pediatric anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
InStride integrates clinical expertise, exposure coaching, and support into daily life to engage kids, teens, and young adults. It pairs them with a psychiatrist, a therapist, and an exposure coach, who provide real-time support using everyday tools like text, video, and a chat-enabled mobile application.
InStride takes a three-pronged approach to supporting youth struggling with anxiety disorders and OCD:
Addressing gaps in mental health treatment
Incorporating care into everyday life
Delivering lasting results
In honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, Daily Nurse spoke with Dr. Potter and Dr. Boger about their work at InStride Health and the role of nurses in championing pediatric mental health. What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.
Nearly one-third of youth in the U.S. will struggle with anxiety disorder or OCD by the age of 18, creating significant economic challenges for kids and their families. Talk about how InStride Health is addressing gaps in their mental health treatment.
We built InStride Health to increase access to quality pediatric anxiety and OCD treatment. Over our two decades of clinical work, we witnessed firsthand the challenges that anxiety and OCD can bring to the lives of children and their families. We’ve also seen how the right treatment can change lives and, sadly, how hard it is for families to access this treatment for their children.
Here are some ways in which we at InStride are addressing the gaps:
We take insurance. Much of specialty pediatric anxiety and OCD care is private pay. We aim to ensure that all kids and families have access to high-quality care.
We have no waitlist. For the limited specialty pediatric anxiety and OCD clinics that do take insurance, the waitlist can be up to 6-12 months long. We get these kids and families into treatment rapidly so the problems don’t get bigger while the family waits.
We can work with the full spectrum of acuity/severity. Our model is built to support individuals whose anxiety or OCD is causing significant impairment in life (i.e., school avoidance, social isolation, family disruption, physical symptoms, etc.); we can also work with individuals with mild presentations.
Our care meets families where they are. Many specialty pediatric anxiety and OCD treatments are not accessible to families due to location. Our fully virtual model allows families to access care no matter where in the state they live and offers flexibility in when and how we engage.
We operate as a multidisciplinary care team. Our psychiatrist, therapist, and exposure coach work closely with the child, teen, or young adult and with their family and outpatient team (school, pediatrician) to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Our treatment is purposefully time-limited. We work with families for up to a year through three phases of care. This allows us to have a more intensive start, in which we work hard to build new skills, followed by step-down and maintenance phases, where we empower the child and their environment to integrate those new learnings into their lives so they can continue to make gains beyond graduation.
What are other difficulties patients and their families encounter getting treatment?
It’s hard enough managing the myriad of day-to-day decisions, stressors, and competing obligations of parenthood; navigating the mental health treatment world to find the right care for a child can get overwhelming very quickly. Each decision point has its unique challenges.
These are some of the common questions families ask:
Where should we start? Who can we turn to for help? How do we know that we are getting the correct information and guidance?
I can’t find a therapist who takes insurance. Do I have to pay out of pocket to get good mental health care for my child?
We need help now, but most therapists have a long waitlist! What can we do while we wait?
How do we know if treatment is working?
What is my role as a parent or caregiver?
What kind of coordination should happen between the school and the pediatrician? And what is our role in that?
How do we know if we need to consider medication? How will that impact our child’s development?
How will we know when we’re finished with therapy?
What can be done to provide the best care for patients?
The good news is that there are known treatments that work. To provide the best care, however, we must ensure that we use them. When treating pediatric anxiety and OCD, research and clinical experience demonstrate that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), with an emphasis on exposure therapy, is highly effective. Yet many youth with anxiety and OCD do not receive exposure therapy. CBT should be active and goal-oriented, with clear goals and a system for tracking progress.
In addition, we need to appreciate the degree to which kids are impacted by their environment and ensure that we incorporate parents/caregivers into care. We also need to make sure that we are providing a “surround-sound experience” for the youth by communicating closely with the school, pediatrician, and any other outside providers.
Kids, teens, and young adults do best when they are seen and understood as individuals with unique strengths and abilities. Taking a strengths-based approach can help empower youth to actively engage in treatment and to step outside of their comfort zone as they try out new skills and strategies to manage their emotions and build resilience.
Your work at InStride Health is based on your decade of experience at McLean Hospital. What makes your treatment model unique?
While at McLean, we had the privilege of designing a program based on what the kids and families needed and then iterating on that model for almost a decade, reviewing the outcome data and incorporating feedback from patients, families, and clinicians.
While many aspects of our treatment are effective, three that stand out are:
Parent/caregiver involvement, with close communication with schools and pediatricians.
There is an emphasis on exposure therapy out in the real world where fears occur, with coaching between sessions to reinforce learning and build skills.
Our deliberate recruitment and training of talented clinicians and coaches who care deeply about doing right by these kids and their families.
How does real-world, real-time exposure coaching benefit patients?
The young brain struggles with generalizing learning across different environments, making applying knowledge from one setting to another difficult. Engaging in exposure therapy in real-world scenarios, where anxiety and OCD triggers manifest, facilitates more effective acquisition of new learning and skills building. InStride exposure coaches support virtual exposures out in the real world- at stores, restaurants, schools, or in the neighborhood- during scheduled sessions, and they are also available for between-session coaching to support effective skill use in the moment. This proactive, real-world approach aids in developing new neural pathways in the brain.
Nurses, nurse practitioners specifically, have a significant opportunity to provide appropriate treatments for patients with mental health needs, specifically kids and young adults with anxiety and OCD. What must they know to make informed judgments about assessment, treatment, and referral?
An important initial step is to conduct an assessment to determine the diagnoses and biopsychosocial evaluation, coupled with education about the manifestations and behavioral impacts of anxiety and OCD. Anxiety and OCD can present in a variety of ways, and having a solid understanding of the presentation and contextual factors helps to determine the right treatment plan.
When considering whether medication should be part of the treatment plan, it is generally recommended to try therapy (CBT) as the first-line intervention for mild to moderate presentations. If the youth is having difficulty engaging in therapy, or if the symptoms persist despite engagement in therapy, it is reasonable to consider adding medication to help access the therapy, with SSRIs as the first line. For youth with more severe presentations for whom the intensity of the anxiety is causing significant impairment in life, it is recommended to start both therapy and medications together. In addition, when there is a greater impact on functioning and/or distress in the family system, they may benefit from more intensive services that include multiple touch points per week to help stabilize symptoms and gain momentum in treatment.
Measurement-based care provides visibility into whether and how individuals are responding to treatment, allowing for more informed decision-making. This entails collecting data from the child and parents throughout treatment, discussing progress directly with them, and adjusting treatment according to the data and conversations.
What role should nurses play?
Data are clear that there are not enough mental health clinicians (psychiatrists, therapists, counselors) to meet the psychiatric needs of youth. Nurses offer relief to this stressed system through the multiple roles they can play in providing mental health support, including advocating, educating, prescribing, and triaging. Because nurses often serve as trusted points of contact for youth and their families, they can identify signs of mental health concerns, provide education, and support prompt intervention planning. Nurses can conduct assessments with children and families and refer them to other mental health professionals or provide direct support, depending on their training and interests. For example, school nurses can provide critical contributions to health curricula and can educate students, parents, and school faculty and staff about mental health conditions, symptoms, and available resources. They can also help coordinate with community providers to create a support system for the student.
By raising awareness, understanding, and support, nurses contribute to reducing stigma, improving overall mental health literacy, and helping children and families receive essential care.
What should we be doing to improve mental healthcare for children?
We need to treat mental health problems in the same way that we treat physical health, and we need to improve access to effective care. We’ve witnessed so many children and families encounter barriers to accessing mental healthcare. We’ve seen parents waiting on long waitlists while their child’s condition worsened. Families have also shared their sacrifices, including draining their retirement savings and depleting their child’s college funds to get their child the right mental healthcare. Some families also resort to traveling long distances, crossing state lines, or temporarily relocating. We’ve also worked with families whose children can access treatment, but it hasn’t been backed by research or provided relief. It has been heartbreaking to witness.
Similar to heart health, we need to think about intervention at all stages, including prevention, early intervention, active intervention, and maintenance. As mentioned above, a school nurse can contribute to a health curriculum to help educate students on how overall health includes attention to mental health, as well as ways to build resilience and identify when it might be helpful to seek support. This same school nurse will often be the first point of contact for a student who might be struggling, and that relationship could be the difference in identifying needs and seeking support.
We also need to understand that mental health is a continuum, and the brain is susceptible to disorder just as any other organ in the body. We often talk about how we wish that anxiety disorders had a different name from the worry, stress, and fear that most people feel at some point – noting that when a youth meets the criteria for an anxiety disorder, typical management approaches that usually work for those everyday worries, stresses, and fears (e.g., get reassurance, cut down or avoid stressful situations) can perpetuate an anxiety disorder. The brains of those with anxiety disorders process the world differently. There is an attention bias to threat (they are more likely to see and respond to the threat in a situation) that requires a more active, behavioral approach for treatment to be effective (and, at times, biological intervention through medication). Being able to help parents recognize in themselves, as well as their children, the difference between worry, stress, and anxiety disorders can help tailor interventions to be effective for the whole system. Helping them understand that treatment can improve functioning and reduce suffering can help them know what they are working toward.
Is there anything else to share?
Nurses are the glue that holds together the support system for pediatric mental health. With their robust medical training, compassionate relationship building, and steadfast commitment to advocating for their patients, nurses play an essential role in championing pediatric mental health.
Nursing can be rewarding, but it also comes with challenges like shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic, and workplace violence. It’s no surprise that nurses greatly recognition for your achievements.
Recognizing how nurses have made a difference in their patients’ lives doesn’t have to last only this week—nurses can celebrate their successes anytime. However, if you want to acknowledge your efforts in nursing during National Nurses Week, here are four strategies to help you feel proud of how far you’ve come.
Write Down a List of Accomplishments
Perfectionism can cause us to discount our big and small work goals. Small successes count (even if you’re an experienced nurse!)
According to a 2021 Journal of Healthcare Leadership study, empowerment, and autonomy are two critical aspects of overall job satisfaction for nurses to feel in a positive work environment. A list of accomplishments, or a “wins” list, can help you feel like you’re in control of your career and confident in your nursing journey.
You can use a pen or paper, a sticky note, or a notes app on your phone. Start simple and write down the first thing that comes to mind. Some examples could include “got to work on time” or “talked to a colleague during my break.” Over time, you can trust yourself to think of more specific ideas you forgot about.
If you want, share them with a nurse or close friend you trust for validation, or if you’d prefer not to, read them aloud to yourself and see how you feel.
Take Your Breaks When You Can
This may not apply to you, but if you find yourself skipping a couple of shift breaks to fit in work tasks, consider building in 15 to 30 minute breaks every two hours.
Nurses, especially those who work eight—to 12-hour shifts, have reported missing opportunities to take on-shift breaks, although there hasn’t been enough research to suggest why. This might be because of an increased workload or lack of a quiet space to decompress.
However, it could be that their workplace doesn’t allow for an environment conducive to small breaks. Many healthcare facilities have broken policies, but federal law does not require them to enforce them. Often, nurses have to use their discretion during busy shifts to see if they can take breaks during understaffed units.
A solution for this is for managers and those in leadership positions to reach out to nurses and ask them how they’d like to be supported so that they’re more likely to take breaks.
One strategy for facilitating break time is to use a buddy system where one or more nurses can take over the role of the nurse who needs a rest break or provide a dark, quiet room where nurses can take naps.
If you encounter a situation where either of these options isn’t possible, think about what you can do individually to rest. Can you take 10 minutes to breathe inside an empty office or do some stretches while sitting? Is there a way to schedule breaks into your work tasks so that they are a priority?
Although it might not feel like it sometimes, breaks are a right, not a luxury, taking care of yourself first can reduce errors on the job and help you feel more rested and relaxed.
Schedule Self-care Activities on Your Day Off
If you find yourself having no idea what to do on your day off, think about what you’ve thought about doing for fun that “one day in the future.” It could look like going to an ice cream shop with a friend or driving two hours to the nearest national park you’ve wanted to hike at. Your day off can be filled with activities that don’t remind you of work stress, so you can add them to your personal wellness toolbox.
Find easy ways to remember to do the activity you’ve always wanted to do. Could you make a day trip out of your free day? Schedule it on your calendar weeks in advance so you won’t forget. You deserve something to look forward to during your well-deserved time with yourself.
Create a Recognition Board
Nurses couldn’t do what they do today without the teamwork of other nurses at their side. If you’re in a leadership position, consider creating a recognition board that honors the different achievements of each of your nurses.
Get creative with your board—use cardstock with bright colors, bulletin board letters, or photos highlighting your unit’s values (and favorite colors).
Patient testimonials highlighting nurses’ hard work.
Words of encouragement from one nurse to another.
One unique example is a “staff shoutout” boardwhere nurses can grab a sticky note from the board, think of a coworker who has helped them or has been doing great at their role, and compliment them.
If you have nurses in school, another example would be to create a “congratulations” board for the nurses who have graduated or received a certification.
Are you still stuck on ideas? For National Nurses Week, the American Nurses Association has atoolkit of printable assets and graphics, such as thank you notes, for you to use and decorate your workplace.
Remember that these ideas apply to any week—not just National Nurses Week! We could all use recognition in our lives, and nurses are no exception.
