Nurses and Midwives, R U OK?

September 8 is R U OK? Day. Nurse & Midwife Support join others to spotlight mental health and the importance of starting a conversation that could change a life.

We’re in the business of support. We know it is vital to check in, ask simple questions, and start ongoing conversations that show we care. We advocate that nurses, midwives and students regularly check in with themselves and ask: Am I OK?

If you’re not OK, reach out for support as soon as possible. The nurses and midwives at NMS are here to support you 24/7 no matter where you are in Australia. Give us a call on 1800 667 877 or email us.

If you’re dealing with issues related to mental health or the ongoing stresses of the pandemic, you might find they are having an impact on you professionally. We’ve recently published some resources to help you navigate these issues in the workplace:

• Podcast: Mental health with Tessa Moriarty, Georgie Southam and Kat Evans
• Podcast: Asserting professional boundaries with Dr Wendy McIntosh
• “That’s enough now”— professional boundaries fortify self-care
• Nurses and midwives afflicted by moral distress: How to handle it
• Self-compassion: surviving and thriving in emotionally taxing work environments
• Not the Only Canary in the COVID-19 Coal Mine: A nurse’s story of post-traumatic stress disorder

If you’ve checked in on yourself and you’re feeling OK, we encourage you to check in with others.

As our friends at R U OK? say, these conversations can make a real difference to colleagues going through a tough time.

When you notice a colleague is struggling, discreetly and confidentially check in with them asking the simple question: R U OK? It could be the question that changes a life.

R U OK? provide some tips that will help you to have the conversation — Check them out. They’ve also released new resources to encourage workplaces to build an R U OK? Culture in their organisation so that everyone feels safe and supported. Find out more about R U OK? Workplace Champions.

ALEC’s guide to asking R U OK? at Work from R U OK? on Vimeo.

Mental health nurse and leader Nino Di Pasquale also joined Nurse & Midwife Support to share these ideas on how managers of nurses and midwives can support their employees’ mental health.

If you’re worried about someone but you’re not comfortable starting the conversation, give us a call for tips and strategies — or pass the baton to us by sharing this simple information:

“Did you know that Nurse & Midwife Support is a 24/7 national, free, anonymous, confidential support service? It’s available to nurses, midwives and students on 1800 667 877.”

The health and wellbeing of everyone matters. We encourage you not to think of R U OK? as a single day, but something we should practice every day.

We hope U R OK this R U OK? day, and if not, we encourage you to reach out and talk to somebody about it.