No matter where you are in your educational path, nursing requires the student nurse and new nurse to have strength and endurance. Nurses do a lot of walking. Young nurses just starting out often do not realize how much work and strength it takes to do a complete shift. I still remember my muscles aching well into the night and sometimes into the next day after a good workout at work. Steps are usually easy for a nurse in a unit during the day. The steps decrease for night shifts, but you can still get in several daily steps. Understand that walking at work is not an exercise; it is what you usually do. We still have to exercise outside of work hours during our breaks or at lunchtime.

One would need 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of cardio, such as running, weekly. These sessions could be broken down into smaller times for each person. Cardio sessions need a warm-up, cooling down, and at least 10 minutes of exercise. Also, walking for a short time during lunch outside or around the facility at work can help strengthen legs for long walking shifts.

One would also need at least two sessions of strength training. Strength training is necessary for lifting and turning clients. Be sure to use good body mechanics with your training. Physical demands include mastering gross motor skills to move within confined spaces, maintain balance in awkward positions, and reach all directions. Physical strength is also required for lifting children, ambulating patients and supplies, and carrying or moving them around the hospital. All of that effort might be easy during a regular eight-hour shift. However, nurses often work double and even triple shifts.

Push fluids! Water is your best friend. In care plans, we always tell patients to push fluids from 2000 to 3000 mls per day, but we do not think this applies to us. It does! The other part of being healthy and fit, is your diet. I repeat myself on some of these blogs because the topics are so complex, but your diet will affect your ability to function on the floor. Plan your meals or food for your shift and have it ready to put directly into your lunch pail. Always put in the fluids you need for the change, too. Remember that fruits, vegetables, and protein will keep you well-nourished during your shift.

Fitness is good for your mental health and doesn’t have to be boring.

Motivation to stay on top of your health and fitness can be complex if you are already tired from your shifts. A change of scenery can help, and you change up the setting from inside to outside. Change your activity from walking to jogging.

Stay motivated and work on your mental health, too. During your off time, you should do things you enjoy. Luckily, many fun activities can also help build your endurance and stamina, such as: surfing, hiking, skiing, or ATV riding. If you have yet to boost your time off with these adventure-type hobbies, try them. They will help with your strength, endurance, and well-being while you are working and on your off time. Try to get out of your comfort zone and make lasting memories!