If you think of nurses as mere sidekicks to physicians, then it's time to be introduced to the real world. Nurses do much more than just take vitals, empty out bedpans, and offer a bedside manner that is empathetic and encouraging. Their responsibilities run the gamut from rendering decisions related to acute treatment to providing school inoculations to studying and utilizing data relative to a patient's biological, physical, and behavioral needs. Even then, that's still just the tip of the iceberg. Per nursingworld.org, Beyond the time-honored reputation for compassion and dedication lies a highly specialized profession, which is constantly evolving to address the needs of society. From ensuring the most accurate diagnoses to the ongoing education of the public about critical health issues; nurses are indispensable in safeguarding public health.
Registered Nurses Are Bona Fide Health Professionals
There are more than four million registered nurses (RN's) in the United States – or about one in every 90 Americans, and they work in specialties that require a bachelor's degree or even a master's. RN's are the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system, performing physical exams; compiling and evaluating health histories; providing health promotion, counseling, and education; coordinating care while collaborating with other healthcare professionals, and administering medications and other individualized health-related interventions. Nurses spend an inordinate amount of time on their feet, often hustling about. Yet they are always dealing with medical information crammed into their heads, sorting out data and information with the paramount need to be impeccably accurate and knowledgeable in all that they do. Obviously, it is a profession that requires ample energy and endurance, a sharp mind, and tremendous patience in dealing not only with patients, many of them in extreme need, but also with other healthcare professionals such as physicians, who have demands and shifting responsibilities of their own.10 Vitamins and Supplements Beneficial for Nurses
To do all this, and more, nurses need to be highly self-aware and protective of their own health and healthy habits, eating right, getting enough sleep, supplementing as necessary. Following are some suggestions – alphabetized – for vitamins and supplements that should be well-suited for a nurse's health and fitness needs:- Vitamin A. Part of taking care of their own health means protecting their body from damaging effects such as inflammation, which has been linked to numerous health issues such as those associated with the intestines, lungs, and skin. As an antioxidant, vitamin A can help significantly in this regard, per fastaff.com.
- Acetyl L-Carnitine. An amino acid that helps your body produce cellular energy, which potentially serves to help boost and maintain energy levels. It may also promote overall brain function, per bodybuilding.com.
- Vitamin B12. This popular vitamin works hard to convert consumed food into energy that cells crave. It is also capable of warding off a type of anemia that can produce symptoms of weakness and tiredness, per healthline.com.
- Biotin. Nurses can always use a helping hand in fighting off fatigue and stress, and biotin (vitamin B7) pitches in by regulating blood sugar levels, metabolizing fatty acid, and producing energy, per nursebuff.com.
- Vitamin C. Anything that helps protect nurses from bacteria and viruses is a huge help, especially in hospitals, care clinics, and doctor's offices. Vitamin C helps in this regard as an antioxidant that activates white blood cells as a defense to those bacteria and viruses, per nursebuff.com.
- Guarana. An herb found in Brazil, guarana is believed to boost energy, per readersdigest.ca. In a study involving 129 healthy volunteers, it was found to play a role in warding off fatigue while bolstering speed and accuracy in performing various functions.
- Niacin. Niacin's role in metabolizing carbs, fats, and protein helps you maintain a healthy digestive and nervous system, per nursebuff.com. It also has a part in producing energy.
- Riboflavin. Because they work in environments that potentially expose them to viruses and other toxins, nurses need to put a protective shield around their own bodies, and this B vitamin (B2) can not only help relieve pain but also fight off infectious agents.
- Thiamine. Another source of energy inside the body, thiamine (vitamin B1) is a requisite compound for producing Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which the body needs to generate energy. It also supports the nervous system, per nursebuff.com.
- Valerian root. This perennial plant native to Europe supports quality of sleep, per takecareof.com, linking it to reduced stress, and nurses certainly deal with stress on a daily basis.