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Personal health budgets

Tag: nursing professionals

Eating healthy can be a bit of a challenge, as healthcare professionals are typically managing long shifts, running around and balancing many things at once. Taking a lunch break can sometimes be impossible. For this reason, snacking might be the best way to keep you going. Snacks can be consumed quickly on the go. Plus, eating 5-6 small meals a day, instead of 3 large meals, keeps the metabolism working at peak performance. Here are some great snack suggestions for busy nurses, doctors or healthcare workers :

  • Fresh or dried fruit. Fresh fruit is portable, refreshing, and can be eaten quickly. Fruits that are ready to eat when you want them are best, such as apples, bananas, grapes, or berries. Oranges and other citrus fruits can also be a good snack, but it is best to peel them ahead of time so they can be consumed quickly on the go. Dried fruit is also a great healthy snack idea, but watch out for added sugar and preservatives. When it comes to fruit, fresh is best.
  • Sliced apple (or a banana) with peanut butter (2 tablespoons is 1 serving).Apples alone are a great snack because they are highly portable and are low on the glycemic index, which means that it digests more slowly than many other carbohydrates and does not cause an extreme spike in blood sugar. Pairing an apple with peanut butter, which is a good source of protein and good for you fats, will keep you feeling full even longer. Sliced apples can be easily dipped in peanut butter and eaten on the go. Bananas are a great source of potassium, which is essential for proper muscular function. For additional convenience, peanut butter can be purchased in serving-sized packages
  • Brown rice cake with nut butter.Anything paired with nut butter is a great workday snack. Brown rice cakes are low calorie and can be kept at work for easy access.
  • Hummus is another food that is low glycemic and a good source of fat and protein. It can be consumed with multigrain crackers or whole wheat pita bread, or with veggies, such as cucumbers, celery, carrots, or peppers, for added nutritional value. Hummus can be purchased in a snack-size or in a larger container that can be stored in the break room refrigerator.
  • Mixed nuts.Nuts are low glycemic and high in fat and protein, in additional to other health benefits. This is another snack that is easily eaten on the go, but be weary of your serving sizes. A serving of nuts is 1 ounce, which is typically about a handful. Choosing natural or lightly salted nuts over those with higher sodium. Pair the nuts with some dried cranberries or raisins for a healthy trail mix.
  • Greek yogurt.Greek yogurt is high in protein, so it helps you stay full throughout your shift. Its portability makes it a great grab-and-go snack. This is another item that is easily stored in the break room refrigerator. Add fruit, nuts, or granola for greater energy.
  • Oatmeal is full of protein and fibre, helping you get through your day. It is also warming and comforting, which makes for a soothing snack. The healthiest variety is plain or original oatmeal, but there are also many different flavors available. Adding fruit, nuts, and honey is a good way perk up plain oatmeal.
  • Cottage cheese.2% milk fat or nonfat cottage cheese is high in protein to keep you full longer and low in fat and calories. This snack can be bought in convenient snack-size packages or in a larger container and left at work. Cottage cheese is versatile and can be eaten with virtually anything. Try it with fresh fruit or fruit preserves, veggies, or avocado to mix it up.
  • Protein or granola bars.There are many different brands and flavors of protein and granola bars to choose from. Reading the label is key to finding the healthiest ones, as some pack so much sugar they are basically glorified candy bars. Look for bars that are lower in sugar and that contain 10 or more grams of protein and 4 or more grams of fibre.
  • Fruit smoothie or protein shake.Fruit smoothies and protein shakes can be purchased at the grocery store or made at home before work and stored in the refrigerator until snack-time. If buying them pre-made, watch out for smoothies and shakes that are high in sugar or contain a lot of preservatives.

Have any other favourite healthy snacks? Leave a comment to share it with us – Sharing is caring too !

We’ve become used to hearing stories about how our healthcare professionals, including nurses, are routinely subjected to abuse in the workplace. In most environments, this would not be tolerated but seems to be on the increase in our hospitals, particularly where our A&E departments are concerned.

  • According to Nursing Times, as many as 90% of nurses have experienced violence and verbal abuse while trying to do their job.
  • In 2012, The Telegraph reported that there were some 163 attacks on staff every day and the general consensus is that this situation is no better today.
  • It’s not just a problem that is particular to the UK. A study in America at the turn of the millennium found similar results.
  • The UK, however, currently has one of the highest incidences of violence against nurses in Europe.

But how does abuse affect our healthcare providers and where can they find help and support if they need it?

While the NHS has had a zero-tolerance approach to violence and abusive behaviour since 1999, instances of attacks appear to have remained disappointingly high. Abuse come from a variety of sources including patients and relatives who have mental health problems or simply believe they are not getting the treatment they deserve, as well as those under the influence of alcohol.

Areas such as A&E are at particular risk because of the emergency situations they face, the fact that there is all too often overcrowding and the emotional level many people are operating at when they arrive. While hospitals are under increasing pressure, it’s not just problems with patients and relatives that are at the heart of verbal and physical abuse. The NHS and even private hospitals are not immune from instances of bullying within the workplace.

We expect a lot from our nurses. Often, they’re working long shifts between 12 and 14 hours and managing traumas and medical problems that require urgent attention. We expect them to do this with all the compassion and professionalism they can muster. It’s no wonder that many nurses and other healthcare professionals are revaluating their career choices and deciding whether they want to stay in the profession at all. That goes for people working in a wide range of areas from A&E, the NHS to nursing homes and private care.

While organisations such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council have put in measures to handle instances of verbal or physical abuse in the workplace, there doesn’t seem to have been much change for the better over the last decade or so. The support that nurses get is also still largely piecemeal and varies from trust to trust.

Just like any other group of people, nurses, midwives and healthcare workers need support and can easily find themselves isolated. There’s no doubt that institutions such as the NHS and all the other Nursing Agencies have to do a lot more to protect nurses and other professionals while they are trying to help the people in their care.

The good news is that charitable organisations such as the Cavell Nurses’ Trust have long been providing support for a range of healthcare professionals. Not only do they help when nurses are suffering from hardship and can’t make ends meet, they assist individuals come to terms with illness, life changing experiences and the impact of violence and abuse in the workplace.

We’ve become used to hearing stories about how our healthcare professionals, including nurses, are routinely subjected to abuse in the workplace. In most environments, this would not be tolerated but seems to be on the increase in our hospitals, particularly where our A&E departments are concerned.

  • According to Nursing Times, as many as 90% of nurses have experienced violence and verbal abuse while trying to do their job.
  • In 2012, The Telegraph reported that there were some 163 attacks on staff every day and the general consensus is that this situation is no better today.
  • It’s not just a problem that is particular to the UK. A study in America at the turn of the millennium found similar results.
  • The UK, however, currently has one of the highest incidences of violence against nurses in Europe.

But how does abuse affect our healthcare providers and where can they find help and support if they need it?

While the NHS has had a zero-tolerance approach to violence and abusive behaviour since 1999, instances of attacks appear to have remained disappointingly high. Abuse come from a variety of sources including patients and relatives who have mental health problems or simply believe they are not getting the treatment they deserve, as well as those under the influence of alcohol.

Areas such as A&E are at particular risk because of the emergency situations they face, the fact that there is all too often overcrowding and the emotional level many people are operating at when they arrive. While hospitals are under increasing pressure, it’s not just problems with patients and relatives that are at the heart of verbal and physical abuse. The NHS and even private hospitals are not immune from instances of bullying within the workplace.

We expect a lot from our nurses. Often, they’re working long shifts between 12 and 14 hours and managing traumas and medical problems that require urgent attention. We expect them to do this with all the compassion and professionalism they can muster. It’s no wonder that many nurses and other healthcare professionals are revaluating their career choices and deciding whether they want to stay in the profession at all. That goes for people working in a wide range of areas from A&E, the NHS to nursing homes and private care.

While organisations such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council have put in measures to handle instances of verbal or physical abuse in the workplace, there doesn’t seem to have been much change for the better over the last decade or so. The support that nurses get is also still largely piecemeal and varies from trust to trust.

Just like any other group of people, nurses, midwives and healthcare workers need support and can easily find themselves isolated. There’s no doubt that institutions such as the NHS and all the other Nursing Agencies have to do a lot more to protect nurses and other professionals while they are trying to help the people in their care.

The good news is that charitable organisations such as the Cavell Nurses’ Trust have long been providing support for a range of healthcare professionals. Not only do they help when nurses are suffering from hardship and can’t make ends meet, they assist individuals come to terms with illness, life changing experiences and the impact of violence and abuse in the workplace.

0121 285 9449 | info@securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk

Secure Healthcare Ltd - 09742364, Grand Station, Sun Street, Wolverhampton, WV10 0BF