5 Ways to Boost Your Patients' Sprits on the Job

5 Ways to Boost Your Patients' Sprits on the Job Life is hard; people who are frequently in the hospital experience this reality in a different way than those who do not. As a nurse, you definitely how hard times can be for your patients.

You may wish to give your patients something that will raise their spirits whenever you can, because a patient in low spirits is also a patient at risk for getting worse. Tending to your patients' mental state is just as important as keeping their medications in order.

There are a few ways to go about boosting the spirits of your patients. Suggesting meditation, music therapy, animal therapy, art therapy, or spiritual therapy are all good ideas for helping them feel more like themselves.

1. Animal Therapy AAT, or Animal-Assisted Therapy, uses a variety of different animals to help the overall mood of patients. As a plus, it can also improve socialization and motor skills.

The domesticated animals are allowed to visit patients to raise their spirits.

Dogs, cats, rabbits, and even dolphins can be used as therapy animals. It depends on the needs and the preference of the patient. AAT is often implemented by institutions like hospitals and nursing homes. These trained animals bring happiness and comfort to those who need it the most.

2. Music Therapy Music can bring up many emotions and affect moods significantly. A music therapist will assess the needs of your patient before having them listen to something. They then make a treatment plan that might involve anything from singing, to moving, and/or listening to music.

3. Art Therapy Mental and emotional health are topics of focus with art therapy. With a choice of expression, the patient is given freedom to create what they want. Options usually include clay, painting, collages, and more. A conversation with the patient will be initiated about the artwork, and their mood and feelings may be expressed and analyzed by a professional art therapist. Art therapists know how to promote mental and emotional healing with the experience of art.

4. Meditation Meditation not only clears the mind, but it helps to rejuvenate the body. It can be hard to meditate at first, but after some practice, it will become something your patient enjoys. If patients are in tune with their body and mind, it will boost their spirits.

Prayer is another form of meditation that can be helpful, especially if your patient is religious. The healing power of both can work to boost spirits from the inside out.

5. Tend to Their Spirit Your patient may be a religious person. If that is the case, consider bringing in a religious leader from their denomination. Talking to someone about their faith and how it is challenged in hard times can be relieving. This guidance is helpful for everyone from time to time, whether it be from a nonreligious mentor or the local rabbi.

These therapies are fantastic for lifting spirits and helping your patients have the right mindset to get better. Make sure to speak with your patient about what they may want before jumping into anything, of course. Your intent may be good but not welcomed by some. In that case, it is of particular importance to talk to them about how they may feel.

Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter