How to Handle Stress When You Enter a LPN to RN Program

Any type of nursing profession could easily be considered as being very stressful. Often, as nursing professionals make the transition from being a LPN to a RN program, they express that they encounter a great deal of additional stress that they may not have been experiencing before.

Stress can be very toxic to your physical, mental, and emotional health and can cause problems in many different areas of your life. Stress can also cause you to become less successful in your RN program. Therefore, it is very important that you deploy the following strategies to reducing stress.

Create A Healthy Routine

Creating a healthy routine for yourself is an important task that will help you to be successful throughout many stages of your adult life, including while you transition from a LPN to a RN program. Everyone is different and has their own needs and limitations so your routine may vary from others. However, there are a few rules of thumb that pertain to most people when it comes to designing a healthy routine.

Here are a few items to include in your daily routine for success in your RN program:

• Eat a nutritious breakfast every morning
• Get plenty of exercise (approximately 30 minutes daily)
• Find time to relax and unwind
• Find a hobby that helps you to decrease your stress level

Of course, there are many more things you could include into your daily routine to help you cope with stress but these four are a perfect place to start. Don't be afraid to test out different things and find what works best for you to reduce stress.

Make Connections With Others

While you are in your RN program, you will likely find that forming bonds and connections with others around you will serve you well to be more successful and combat the daily stress of transitioning from a LPN to a RN. Your classmates, your professors, and the community are all great resources available to you throughout your LPN to RN program and can provide you with valuable connections that may last throughout your career.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help

One of the best ways to relieve some stress is to seek out additional resources to help you manage your workload and cope with your lifestyle and education. Your institution already has resources in place to help you along if you are dealing with a lot of stress due to your studies. Advisors, professors, mentors, and success coaches are just a few of the people that are available to you if you are struggling. Do not be afraid to reach out to them because that is what they are there for.

Establish Clear Goals & Priorities

As you prepare for your transition from LPN to a RN, it is essential that you make an outline of what your goals are, as well as, your priorities. Many people find it helpful to achieve their goals when they write them down and keep them somewhere in their room or work space. This will help you from getting distracted during your LPN to RN training.

Making the switch from a LPN to RN can be a challenge but with these strategies you can do be successful. To begin your transition from an LPN to an RN and take your career to the next level visit Athena Careers today!