Name
Chamberlain University
NR-222 Health & Wellness
Prof. Name
Date
The Chamberlain Care® philosophy is built on five essential pillars: caring for faculty, students, partners, patients, and the community. This model underscores the importance of caring for oneself as the foundation for developing and sustaining supportive and compassionate relationships with others. When individuals prioritize personal well-being, they are better positioned to provide meaningful care to peers, professional colleagues, and the wider community.
Compassion fatigue is a state commonly experienced by nurses and healthcare professionals after long-term exposure to patient suffering. It is marked by a reduced ability to empathize, which negatively affects both professional performance and personal well-being.
Effective strategies for preventing compassion fatigue include:
Establishing and maintaining professional boundaries
Practicing regular self-care
Increasing self-awareness
Gaining knowledge about compassion fatigue
| Symptom Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Physical/Psychological | Insomnia, exhaustion, anger, irritability, anxiety, weight gain |
| Absenteeism | Frequent sick days or missed shifts |
| Substance Misuse | Increased reliance on alcohol or drugs |
| Emotional | Loss of empathy, irrational fears, disassociation, intrusive thoughts |
| Relationship Issues | Difficulty separating work and personal life, intimacy issues |
| Professional | Poor decision-making, low job satisfaction, aversion to patient care |
Self-care is central to Chamberlain Care®. Addressing physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs enhances one’s capacity to care for others. Key strategies include:
Managing time effectively
Studying in well-lit areas for mental clarity
Maintaining hydration and balanced nutrition
Practicing relaxation and exercise
Ensuring adequate sleep and mindfulness practices
To enhance learning, students are encouraged to:
Create a consistent study schedule
Join peer study groups for collaboration
Exercise or use relaxation techniques regularly
Review guidelines and exam schedules early
Prioritize sleep and balanced meals
Stay socially connected and mindful
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, nurses carry responsibilities both to themselves and to their patients.
Nurses must prioritize their own safety, integrity, competence, and ongoing development.
Nurses are role models, promoting healthy lifestyles and work-life balance to avoid burnout.
Nurses act as moral agents, aligning professional and personal values. They should speak up when integrity is compromised, making only acceptable compromises.
Maintaining clinical competence requires continuous self-assessment and lifelong learning.
Stress is a physical, chemical, or emotional response to threats to homeostasis. While some stress can be adaptive, unmanaged stress negatively impacts health and can lead to illness.
Individuals assess stressors by evaluating their meaning and considering available coping resources.
| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Alarm | Activation of fight-or-flight; if well-managed, homeostasis is restored |
| Resistance | Body employs defense mechanisms; vulnerability to other stressors increases |
| Exhaustion | Resources are depleted; cognitive decline and illness risk rise |
Stress may cause physical illnesses, cognitive impairments, and emotional instability.
Pender’s HPM promotes well-being through:
Personal experiences and characteristics
Behavior-specific knowledge
Anticipated outcomes of actions
Interventions include balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management practices.
Provision 6 emphasizes improving the ethical environment in healthcare. Nurses are expected to:
Foster safe and respectful workplaces
Reject abusive or unsafe practices
Advocate for community health
Use technology responsibly to enhance safety
Biological rhythms follow a 24-hour cycle influenced by light and temperature.
| Sleep Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| NREM | Non-rapid eye movement; 75% of sleep, 3 stages included |
| REM | Rapid eye movement; 25% of sleep, essential for cognition |
Pre-sleep period lasts 10–30 minutes
A full cycle takes 90–110 minutes and repeats 4–6 times nightly
Emotional stress, illness, environmental conditions, diet, and substance use all influence sleep quality.
Common effects include blurred vision, delayed reflexes, impaired judgment, confusion, irritability, and lack of motivation.
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a 19-question tool for assessing sleep quality over one month.
The World Health Organization (WHO, 1948) defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, beyond the absence of disease. Health represents the capacity to function effectively despite challenges, influenced by genetic, emotional, cultural, spiritual, lifestyle, and social factors.
Wellness is a dynamic, ongoing process of growth toward optimal well-being across multiple dimensions, including physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental, and spiritual. Even those with chronic illness can achieve wellness by adapting and maintaining a positive outlook.
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Illness | Subjective experience of disturbance |
| Disease | Diagnosed pathological condition with measurable signs |
| Variable Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Internal | Developmental stage, intellectual background, stress, perception, values |
| External | Family health practices, socioeconomic factors, culture, determinants |
| Continuum Stage | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Premature Death | Disease, poor quality of life, medication dependence |
| Disability Symptoms | Functional decline and visible symptoms |
| Comfort Zone | No illness but lack of proactive health promotion |
| Awareness & Education | Engagement in healthy behaviors and knowledge building |
| High-Level Wellness | Maximum function and proactive health behaviors |
This model links personal beliefs to health behaviors. Key motivators include:
Perceived severity and susceptibility
Perceived threat
Likelihood of taking preventive action
This model focuses on how traits, knowledge, and expected outcomes drive behavior in relation to health.
The holistic model views the mind, body, and spirit as an interconnected whole, emphasizing natural healing processes. Complementary therapies include meditation, guided imagery, relaxation, and art/music therapy.
| Stage | Description | Nurse’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| Precontemplation | No intent to change | Guide, motivator, resource coordinator |
| Contemplation | Considering change | Counselor, educator, critical thinker |
| Preparation | Planning for change | Communicator, supporter, advocate |
| Action | Actively changing | Coach, caregiver, instructor |
| Maintenance | Sustaining change | Mentor, researcher, innovator |
| Level | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Physiological | Survival needs | Food, water, sleep, oxygen |
| Safety & Security | Protection from harm | Housing, stability, employment |
| Love & Belonging | Social connection | Family, friendship, intimacy |
| Self-Esteem | Achievement and recognition | Confidence, respect, status |
| Self-Actualization | Growth and fulfillment | Creativity, morality, problem-solving |
Extended Model: Includes cognitive needs (knowledge), aesthetic needs (beauty), and transcendence needs (purpose beyond self).
| Level | Focus | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Primordial | Avoiding exposure | Healthy environments |
| Primary | Preventing onset | Vaccinations, healthy diet, education |
| Secondary | Early detection | Screenings, exams, diagnostics |
| Tertiary | Managing disease | Rehabilitation, palliative care |
Prevention Strategies by Government Level:
National: Tobacco control, Clean Water Act
State: Restaurant inspections, hazardous waste regulation
Local: Bike path zoning, liquor licensing restrictions
Nurses promote health at individual, community, and policy levels through emergency response, caring for aging populations, and influencing health policy.
Health Promotion (WHO): Empowering individuals to take control of health
Wellness Education: Teaching self-care for health literacy
Illness Prevention: Protecting against actual or potential threats
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Requires personal involvement | Joining a smoking cessation program |
| Passive | No personal action needed | Water fluoridation |
Modifiable risks: Poor diet, inactivity, lack of sleep
Nonmodifiable risks: Age, gender, family history
Environmental risks: Exposure to harmful substances
American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. American Nurses Publishing.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Prevention strategies. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Understanding sleep. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov
Pender, N. J., Murdaugh, C. L., & Parsons, M. A. (2015). Health promotion in nursing practice (7th ed.). Pearson.
Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life. McGraw-Hill.
World Health Organization. (1948). Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int
