Self-Care

The important effect of self-care is that ultimately caring for oneself is a necessary prerequisite to caring for others. The mentorship program is an important venue for teaching nursing students the techniques of self-care to enable them to thrive in academic and clinical settings and to transition to long-lasting, meaningful careers as caring nurses. This chapter will explore the theoretical concepts of self-care and delineate practices that will allow the student nurse to maintain well-being and the ability to care for others. It provides clear, step-by-step guides for self-care activities so that they can be performed by mentors and mentees, as well as ways to communicate the importance of a healthy diet, sleep, exercise, and a consistent plan of action in ways that speak to students as a lifelong practice.