LAUSR

I t is well established that work in the healthcare arena is both stressful and demanding. Left unheeded, over time, fatigue, dissatisfaction and disengagement insidiously sets in. Ignored, the process accelerates and barrels down the pathway towards burnout while damaging everyone in its path. The American Nurses Association (ANA) recognized this challenge and began the Healthy Nurse/Healthy Nation Challenge in 2017 (ANA, 2017). Using the five focus areas as overarching themes (activity, rest, nutrition, quality of life, and safety), the ANA suggested ways that nurses could improve their own health and also influence the health of others. In addition to physical aspects of health, combating stress and improving wellness were also emphasized (http://nursingworld.org/yearofhealthynurse). Kari Schmidt, in her JNPD editorial from May/June 2017 titled, ‘‘Mindfulness Increases Clarity,’’ challenged nursing professional development (NPD) practitioners to seek out approaches that ‘‘increase our capacity to lead change and increase our resilience’’ (Schmidt, 2017, p. 55). There is increasing discussion not only in healthcare, but also in other fields, about the power of mindfulness practices in the workplace and how it can help transform previously negative actions into positive forces. By developing our own mindfulness practices, we can also role model for others how to develop theirs.