By Eboni Saurage, EdD, CST
The portion of this article focusing on Dr. Juergens’ presentation was originally published in April 2020.
At a Louisiana State Assembly Educational Workshop in 2020, Dr. Elise Juergens, a perioperative circulating nurse turned scholar, brought to light that we are all guilty of overlooking our own self-care. Lack of self-care quickly leads to burnout, and given the tumultuous environment currently being experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, her message could not have been received at a more valuable time.
Dr. Juergens discussed stereotypes imposed upon health care professionals and how such assumptions and cultural norms can perpetuate bad habits among professionals, leading to burnout. She also recommended self-care behavi