Life Coaching For Nurses - Is it the Time?

Nursing has moved forward in the past decades andpower and energize your actions so as to achieve the
there has been an improvement in the area ofLife Success you desire.
leadership and role development. However I still see- Where lack of Life balance is an issue Coaching can
opportunities for further richness in areas like the art ofhelp you to achieve such balance by giving importance
influencing others, being an inspiration for those aroundto all aspects of the Wheel of Life.
us, and working on nurturing ourselves and our- Provides the skills for self-care and self-growth.
Dreams.- Clarify issues related to the Meaning of Life and Life
I believe that Nursing is such a Special Life Mission.Purpose. Maybe you are struggling with the need for a
It is profession that connects us with people duringnew direction, financial problems or difficult relationships.
times when they are challenged, vulnerable and in need- If you are feeling 'stuck' in life - either on a personal
of support.level or at work Coaching can help you to face up to
Looking back in history it's clear that during the timessuch challenges and use empowering ways to regain
when Nursing was guided by solid Values and whencontrol of your life.
Society appreciated such Values, Nursing reached theOn a Professional Level Life Coaching can:
zenith of its nobleness as a profession. One can- Be provided on a one-to-one basis, initially to support
mention the early Christian orders such as the KnightsClinical Ward or Departmental Nursing Managers who
Hospitallers and other influences including theneed to inspire the people around them. By going
renaissance that Florence Nightingale managed to bringthrough an internal journey of discovery and identifying
about.where they are now and where they want to be, they
Values and a clear sense of who you are as awill have the necessary tools to effectively lead,
person and what you want to achieve in Life canmotivate and inspire nurses.
create a sense of certainty and an internal strength- Provide an opportunity for both nurse students and
that will emanate from you and influence others.clinical nurses to go through a Values clarification
Imagine....exercise and other such exercises that will provide a
Just imagine if you had clearly identified Values and ancompass for internal True North Principles. Such
awareness of your Life purpose and Dream. Imagineprinciples may be unclear in today's fast paced world
the added passion and zest for life this would havewith all the daily challenges we face.
and consider how this would affect your patients and- Be integrated within Performance Appraisals so as
all those who connect with you.to support nurses and view them from the aspect of
Try and visualize if you had that certainty and innera whole person. Wellness in all aspects of life will lead
strength which gives you the winner's edge and whichto enhanced performance in the clinical area.
empowers you to achieve your personal Goals and- Provide a humane support for nurses because unlike
Dreams. Imagine if you could help other people toclinical supervision, the support available is not based
move beyond their perceived limitations and look atsolely on honing skills related to clinical aspects. Life
empowerment as an ideal to strive for.Coaching provides individualized support that covers all
A lack of clarity about what you REALLY want in lifethe important 8 sectors of the Wheel of Life.
can lead to lack of fulfillment over time and in certain- In other words, by having a Life Coach acting as a
situations this could create a sense of distance andpartner, nurses can remain focused, challenged and
disgruntlement with your work. As time goes by theremotivated to live their personal and professional lives
might be a tendency to see work as another tediouson purpose.
part of your life.- Coaching can provide support when nurses are
So how can Life Coaching help YOU as a Nurse?faced with the negative effects of daily contact with
I believe that similar, but more powerfully thanhuman tragedies and suffering. Not all Nurses may feel
mentoring, Life Coaching can serve as a new andthat they require such support. I believe that a large
exciting pathway to provide you with support andnumber of nurses already have the abilities to
personal development opportunities in the followingself-care and nurture themselves as well as provide
situations:support and inspiration for others.
On a Personal Level Life Coaching can:However I am sure that there is a proportion of nurses
- Help you to grow as an individual, to expand yourwho would appreciate the benefits of Life coaching. I
personality and your circle of influence so as to gainbelieve that even as a profession, unless we start
new insights about life.helping nurses to help themselves first we cannot
- Identify what your personal Big Dream is and createexpect them to effectively help others.
a powerful step-by-step approach towards achievingThe first victory has to be a personal victory. You
it. What do you REALLY want to do in life? What iscannot succeed within an Organisation or Society
that one thing that you are REALLY passionateunless you first succeed on a personal level.
about? What new experiences would you like to live?So are your ready to be Coached?
This will create a passion in your life that can really