Episode 6 - Active, RN
June 13, 2023
About This Episode
Our hosts are joined by Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN, a fellow nurse at Northwestern Medicine and certified Zumba instructor. The team chats about how staying active is a key part of self-care for healthcare workers.
Episode Guests
Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN
Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN, is an attending nurse in Oncology at Northwestern Medicine.
Our hosts are joined by Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN, a fellow nurse at Northwestern Medicine and certified Zumba instructor. The team chats about how staying active is a key part of self-care for healthcare workers.
Episode Guests
Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN
Brendan Blaney, BSN, RN, is an attending nurse in Oncology at Northwestern Medicine.
transcript
Alyssa Saklak [00:00:05] I'm Alyssa Saklak.
Laurin Masnari [00:00:06] And I'm Laurin Masnari.
Saklak [00:00:08] On Better, RN, we get real about nursing.
Masnari [00:00:11] The good and the gritty.
Saklak [00:00:12] We talk to real healthcare experts.
Masnari [00:00:15] With the goal of becoming better.
Saklak [00:00:17] For our patients, our colleagues.
Masnari [00:00:18] Our family, our friends.
Saklak [00:00:21] Our partners and ourselves.
Masnari [00:00:25] Hi, pal.
Saklak [00:00:26] Hi, Laurin.
Masnari [00:00:27] Today should be fun.
Saklak [00:00:28] This is one of my favorite topics to talk about as a retired athlete is what I like to call myself. Movement and physical fitness has always been a pillar in my life.
Masnari [00:00:37] You're our basketball star. Our resident basketball star.
Saklak [00:00:42] I get really competitive too.
Masnari [00:00:43] I'm aware. I do too. But I wasn't a basketball star.
Saklak [00:00:46] I didn't realize that you do barre. Like the workout.
Masnari [00:00:50] Yeah. Shout out to one of our MICU nurses here. She's one of our instructors.
Saklak [00:00:53] Oh, really?
Masnari [00:00:54] Yeah.
Saklak [00:00:55] I think within the pillars of wellness, we know that physical movement is good for our health. It's very well studied. It is everywhere.
Masnari [00:01:04] Yeah.
Saklak [00:01:04] But it's sometimes easier said than done.
Masnari [00:01:07] Definitely. I was an athlete in a very long ago past life in high school. And you more so recently in college. And so we have those things built into us already. We know how important exercise is. We know the endorphins that it releases. You know, I know that we both feel better after we are done exercising, but that's not the case for everyone. And exercise looks different to different people. I was actually talking with my sister this past weekend about how the concept of the hard basketball practice in high school, I guarantee you I could not get through the warm-up now, but that was what exercise looked like to me when I was 16 years old. But now it looks so different, and I don't need to, I mean, crush myself in an intense 60-minute workout to still feel like I'm reaping the benefits of physical fitness, which is kind of a new world for me, but one that I am so glad I came into, because that has shifted my mindset on my relationship with physical activity.
Saklak [00:01:59] I think our goals change, you know.
Masnari [00:02:01] Totally.
Saklak [00:02:02] As you move through different roles and phases through life, it's OK that whatever that movement was when you were younger may look different now, and even more so as a nurse. Your three 12-hour shifts, your body is exhausted. And so like the movements that I'm doing day to day look very different. And so I think it's OK to have some grace and change what your definition of that looks like. And also you're holding that space for what your body needs.
Masnari [00:02:26] You, like, were a huge yogi when we first met, and how you integrated that into kind of every aspect of you, right? Like your personal life. It was what you did when you weren't at work. It just was everything because it's so transcended the person that you were. And that was really cool to see.
Saklak [00:02:44] You had front row seats to that. I went from a college athlete where I was sprinting on tracks and in the weight room. And when I finished that phase of life and I moved into my professional world as a nurse, I needed to change it because the 12-hour shift was hard on the body. And so then that was moving towards yoga, which kind of integrated all aspects of my life. I think that's not uncommon. And there's other nurses here that have similar stories.
Masnari [00:03:09] We know the benefits of exercise. The National Institute on Health lets us know that staying active can lead to better sleep. It can lower your stress. It can reduce anxiety, have fewer feelings of depression, and even help in the management and prevention of certain diseases. And I'm really excited for this conversation that we're going to have today with one of our nurses at Northwestern Medicine.
Saklak [00:03:28] I'm so excited to introduce Brendan Blaney, an attending nurse at Northwestern Medicine. Brendan is a certified Zumba instructor and a huge advocate for exercise and how it can help your overall well-being. Brendan is a ray of sunshine, and I'm going to contain my laughter and excitement because whenever I'm with him, we just can go on for hours and days. Brendan, we're so happy to have you on the pod.
Masnari [00:03:50] Welcome, Brendan.
Brendan Blaney [00:03:51] Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys having me on the pod, and it's such a joy to talk about this thing I'm passionate about.
Masnari [00:03:58] We are super excited that you're here. Tell me a little bit about yourself. What's your role at Northwestern Medicine? How long have you been here? I would love to just get to know you a little bit.
Blaney [00:04:06] I started here at Northwestern Medicine in 2020 as a bedside nurse in the Oncology Department, and I worked here for the whole time since 2020, and my role has changed a little bit. I used to be a bedside nurse. I'm now an attending nurse. It's something I'm very passionate about, and I can see myself doing oncology care for a while.
Masnari [00:04:26] Alyssa tells me a little bit about your background in Zumba. You lost a bet, and that's how we're here. You lost a bet, and then you ended up on our podcast.
Saklak [00:04:33] This is by far, this is absolutely one of my favorite stories when getting to know Brendan. Tell us, tell the tell the people. How did you get involved in Zumba, Brendan?
Blaney [00:04:43] Freshman year of college, I lost a bet to my friend. She had bet that if she licked a full multiple feet of a college dorm carpet, then I had to go to a Zumba class with her. And I thought to myself, "There's no way, there's no way she's going to do this." And I wasn't. I was lukewarm about Zumba. I didn't care. But I was more so, like, of course not. And, I went to a Zumba class, so that means she did.
Masnari [00:05:11] We will not name that person on this podcast.
Blaney [00:05:14] No, no, no, no, no. I love her. She's wonderful. She convinced me to go to the Zumba class. I kind of dragged my feet there, and I was really, I wasn't dreading it, but I didn't want to get sweaty in a group and dance in a group. I do like dancing, but, I didn't think it was for me. I went to this first class, and I went to every class once a week for the whole semester, and then I did it for the full year.
Saklak [00:05:39] This is like by far, and I'm telling you, this is one of my favorite stories about Brendan, but even more so is that it wasn't just like a college phase, because I think with, when we talk about movement and physical fitness, we go through different phases. My gosh, I've been a runner, I've done basketball, I've done yoga, and there's so many different phases, but this one has stuck, so much so that you're still doing it. And you did it a lot when you were a new grad nurse too, so it was kind of like your outlet. Tell us more about how you've integrated that as you started as a new grad nurse.
Blaney [00:06:09] I started doing it, like I said, my whole freshman year of college. And, I like dancing, and I found out I really loved group fitness, so I did it for a year. And that instructor was like, "You should get certified. We could teach together." So I did, and I got certified. And all throughout nursing school I was a Zumba instructor. Every Friday, I taught a class. It was very fun. But once I became a registered nurse at Northwestern Medicine, I found it was really, really helpful to stay consistent with a workout routine. But for me, I don't know about you both, I love being active. I love going for walks. I can't do the gym. The gym is such a tough place for me. And so for me, dancing and moving with a lot of people, group fitness, like I said, that is what really stuck with me. So that's something I was comfortable with. I had done it a lot. I know that when I stayed moving it was helpful to get my mind off of work after a long day as a nurse. So I kept doing that, and I've kept consistent with it. Not as frequent, but I still teach here and there in Chicago and also sometimes at Northwestern Medicine throughout different departments.
Masnari [00:07:17] I think there's something to be said for strength in numbers, but also the accountability of group fitness. Because if it's just me taking myself to the gym, it's so much harder for me to be motivated. But if I know that there will be other people there, Alyssa, I know you can relate to this. My competitive side kicks in.
Saklak [00:07:33] Laurin is the girl in the front of class, Zumba-ing her heart out. The one thing I loved that you talked about was that you couldn't do the gym. And I think for a lot of people, we all know that physical movement is good for us for multiple reasons, and your “why,” whether it's to stay healthy with your cardiovascular or for stress relief. And so the wellness industry is just booming with so many options. It can be almost overwhelming to choose what feels right and what what is good for you. You know, and I think for your story, you spoke to a lot with being a new grad, how it was consistent, how it helped. Has it changed for you at all? Have you incorporated other movements or has this been, like, you're the Zumba guy?
Blaney [00:08:14] I mean, I think my legacy is as the Zumba guy, but it has evolved a lot.
Saklak [00:08:19] We're giving you space to create whatever identity you want with this, but —
Blaney [00:08:23] Thank you so much for that. Well, like I said, I love dance fitness, and I, I've always loved dancing, but I knew working out was a great way for me to unwind. And when I say unwind, we know as bedside nurses, as nurses who work in the hospital, it can be really tough some shifts, emotionally, physically. And having that physical reliever of moving, doing something good for yourself in a positive way, being selfish with your own body, in your own health. I love that. And that's something that has changed because I was on day shift. I was on night shift for a year. I was back on day shift. My hours have changed a lot. Working 12-hour shifts really affects what days you can and can't work out and also how to get in a regular rhythm. And I found for me it's a lot easier to do it at the end of the day. I cannot wake up before a shift and work out well.
Saklak [00:09:13] Well and that's the beauty is everyone, it's so funny when you ask your group of nurse friends, everyone has different routines. And sometimes you can feel that pressure as a healthcare professional to quote unquote fit this mold of a healthy individual. And to the group, Laurin and Brendan, have you guys ever felt that pressure to be the image of health because you are in this field and you see patients and people? You know, I think that's something I've personally experienced even with family and loved ones who are asking you health advice or questions because you're a nurse, and that physical movement and fitness piece is a huge pressure too. So, Brendan, you know, to your point, when you work a shift and you're exhausted after 12, there's a little bit of guilt when you're like, "Oh gosh, I need to move. I need to add some movement to my life." How have you guys dealt with that, or is that just a me thing?
Blaney [00:10:01] It's not just the you thing. It's a great, it's a great point. You're right. After a 12-hour shift, I've realized for myself, it is this expectation and almost like a guilt, like you said. It's a such a fine line of being kind to yourself and doing it for yourself. And also the societal pressures of being a nurse and being a healthcare professional and being someone that people look to for that kind of guidance. I struggle with that. I don't know about you, Laurin.
Masnari [00:10:27] I mean, I think everywhere you look, there are people or things or ads or influencers telling you what you should be doing or not doing. You have to take all of that with a grain of salt. And Alyssa, we've talked before about how health and wellness looks so different to different people. And that's the beauty of having these conversations, is that we get to see how all of these domains of wellness overlap with one another and they all play off of each other. And some people have strength in one area, and other people have strength in another. But I think that just really amplifies how health and wellness looks different for everyone.
Blaney [00:10:57] One thing that Brendan and I had talked about was how being a Zumba instructor in kind of this world has helped him provide better patient care. And I thought the crossover of how he uses some of those skills he learned as a Zumba instructor, I see a lot of myself as a nurse and Brendan and Laurin, you can attest to this, of he was like, "Oh yeah, I love to sing and dance." I go, "Same. I'm singing and dancing with all my patients." And so I would love to hear more of how it's translated to even just the skills of, of caring for our patients.
Blaney [00:11:27] Of course. I love being an instructor. The fun part of it is you get to yell at people in a nice way, in a fun way, and you can call them out for things like, “Get those knees higher!” or, “You got to, you got to jump! You got to work out! Let's break a sweat!” And while I'm not yelling at my patients to break a sweat and do that same thing, but sometimes they need a pep talk. I'm going to give an example. If someone is newly diagnosed with a type of cancer in my kind of world, there's a lot of mixed feelings. There's, it's a horrific overcoming of, you know, “I have this massive condition and it's going to take a long time.” And what they need in that moment is an instructor to tell them, “We're going to be with you every step of the way. So let's get those knees pumping, and let's see what we've got to do to get through this treatment.”
Saklak [00:12:15] I love that energy, though. And I think, to your point, though, even as nurses like, we may not feel like moving, even though we know it's good for us, same like our patients. And sometimes you need that person to kind of help pull you out and go for a walk or go to the lakefront or ride a bike.
Blaney [00:12:31] It's such a great way to not only like express yourself in a fun way, but also let off whatever you have taken on as your role as a nurse. Listening to people and their stories and their heartbreaks and their wins and everything in between, especially inpatient. The people who are really healthy don't come to the hospital. And that's really important to recognize. So when people come to the hospital, and they're not doing well, and they're in our unit, there's a lot of the emotional needs that they have, and listening and taking on some of those things, I think that's natural as a nurse to take on the emotional care. And that can weigh on you if you don't let it out through exercising and doing things after work that are positively selfish, I say. Specific for me, I take on a lot during the day. So what I want to do is unwind, and I want to do these things that let my body just physically decompress.
Saklak [00:13:23] Have you found throughout your different career moves and being at the bedside to an attending role, like, how have you carved that time out for yourself? Because it's not always an accessible thing for people.
Blaney [00:13:33] Yeah, that's been really tough, especially when I didn't have as consistent of a schedule as I do now. Working three 12s, trying to find a day and carving out a time. It was easier to say like, "Oh, I'll work out this day when I'm off." But putting a specific time to that I found is really helpful, and blocking it out in your calendar. Because that way if someone asks me, "What are you doing this time?" or "Do you have plans for this?" I'll look at my calendar and say, "Oh, I'm planning on working out at this time." And even if it doesn't happen exactly at that time, it's on my calendar. I found it really important because if I don't make that time and I just say that I'm going to work out, if there's not something hard in my calendar, it makes it a lot tougher for me to actually put forth the effort. But when it's written down, it's a commitment to myself, it's a promise to myself, and also it's a promise to me not to overcommit to do other things. It's a time for me to focus on myself. I don't know if you, Laurin, have any other ways that you've carved out time.
Masnari [00:14:31] I was just going to say I appreciate what you said about scheduling time for yourself. I think that's so important because our calendars are often so full, and there are so many things that are competing for our time and energy. And I'm very much a write it down to cross it out kind of person to get through my day. So my calendar really holds me accountable. I go to a barre class, and when I see that I have those classes scheduled out in my week, it helps me stay accountable for the promise that I made to myself when I booked it, as opposed to in the moment. If I see that there's a class in a half an hour, there are 100 other things that I could think of doing, and I probably wouldn't go. I resonate a lot with that. Scheduling time for yourself is super important.
Blaney [00:15:15] And even the little time that you can have sometimes, I will have occasional breaks after work depending on when you leave. Sometimes I walk home to my apartment, which is many, many miles from Northwestern Medicine. But it's a nice break because I know that's time for myself, and that's time I get to make for my own space. Just because I can't guarantee myself time after that, or a guarantee I'm going to a workout class or doing those things, but whatever time is available, try and make it at least somewhat accessible for me because that's what I want to do that day. And it's what works with how I'm feeling as long as I have that time set aside.
Saklak [00:15:54] Brendan, I want to thank you so much for coming on, and I think you are an inspiration here on our campus, and I want to thank you for telling us your story behind it and sharing different perspectives of how we can apply this to our lives as as healthcare professionals.
Blaney [00:16:10] Thank you.
Masnari [00:16:11] Thanks, Brendan. We appreciate you.
Saklak [00:16:12] I still want to see Brendan do a little dance, though.
Blaney [00:16:15] Oh, I believe me. Believe me, I will. Soon and very soon. If you put shuffle on a Pitbull playlist, there's a chance I might just show up and start doing a Zumba routine.
Saklak [00:16:27] Oh I love this. I am going to test you one day.
Masnari [00:16:36] Thanks for tuning in.
Saklak [00:16:37] Better, RN is brought to you by the Woman's Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Laurin Masnari [00:00:06] And I'm Laurin Masnari.
Saklak [00:00:08] On Better, RN, we get real about nursing.
Masnari [00:00:11] The good and the gritty.
Saklak [00:00:12] We talk to real healthcare experts.
Masnari [00:00:15] With the goal of becoming better.
Saklak [00:00:17] For our patients, our colleagues.
Masnari [00:00:18] Our family, our friends.
Saklak [00:00:21] Our partners and ourselves.
Masnari [00:00:25] Hi, pal.
Saklak [00:00:26] Hi, Laurin.
Masnari [00:00:27] Today should be fun.
Saklak [00:00:28] This is one of my favorite topics to talk about as a retired athlete is what I like to call myself. Movement and physical fitness has always been a pillar in my life.
Masnari [00:00:37] You're our basketball star. Our resident basketball star.
Saklak [00:00:42] I get really competitive too.
Masnari [00:00:43] I'm aware. I do too. But I wasn't a basketball star.
Saklak [00:00:46] I didn't realize that you do barre. Like the workout.
Masnari [00:00:50] Yeah. Shout out to one of our MICU nurses here. She's one of our instructors.
Saklak [00:00:53] Oh, really?
Masnari [00:00:54] Yeah.
Saklak [00:00:55] I think within the pillars of wellness, we know that physical movement is good for our health. It's very well studied. It is everywhere.
Masnari [00:01:04] Yeah.
Saklak [00:01:04] But it's sometimes easier said than done.
Masnari [00:01:07] Definitely. I was an athlete in a very long ago past life in high school. And you more so recently in college. And so we have those things built into us already. We know how important exercise is. We know the endorphins that it releases. You know, I know that we both feel better after we are done exercising, but that's not the case for everyone. And exercise looks different to different people. I was actually talking with my sister this past weekend about how the concept of the hard basketball practice in high school, I guarantee you I could not get through the warm-up now, but that was what exercise looked like to me when I was 16 years old. But now it looks so different, and I don't need to, I mean, crush myself in an intense 60-minute workout to still feel like I'm reaping the benefits of physical fitness, which is kind of a new world for me, but one that I am so glad I came into, because that has shifted my mindset on my relationship with physical activity.
Saklak [00:01:59] I think our goals change, you know.
Masnari [00:02:01] Totally.
Saklak [00:02:02] As you move through different roles and phases through life, it's OK that whatever that movement was when you were younger may look different now, and even more so as a nurse. Your three 12-hour shifts, your body is exhausted. And so like the movements that I'm doing day to day look very different. And so I think it's OK to have some grace and change what your definition of that looks like. And also you're holding that space for what your body needs.
Masnari [00:02:26] You, like, were a huge yogi when we first met, and how you integrated that into kind of every aspect of you, right? Like your personal life. It was what you did when you weren't at work. It just was everything because it's so transcended the person that you were. And that was really cool to see.
Saklak [00:02:44] You had front row seats to that. I went from a college athlete where I was sprinting on tracks and in the weight room. And when I finished that phase of life and I moved into my professional world as a nurse, I needed to change it because the 12-hour shift was hard on the body. And so then that was moving towards yoga, which kind of integrated all aspects of my life. I think that's not uncommon. And there's other nurses here that have similar stories.
Masnari [00:03:09] We know the benefits of exercise. The National Institute on Health lets us know that staying active can lead to better sleep. It can lower your stress. It can reduce anxiety, have fewer feelings of depression, and even help in the management and prevention of certain diseases. And I'm really excited for this conversation that we're going to have today with one of our nurses at Northwestern Medicine.
Saklak [00:03:28] I'm so excited to introduce Brendan Blaney, an attending nurse at Northwestern Medicine. Brendan is a certified Zumba instructor and a huge advocate for exercise and how it can help your overall well-being. Brendan is a ray of sunshine, and I'm going to contain my laughter and excitement because whenever I'm with him, we just can go on for hours and days. Brendan, we're so happy to have you on the pod.
Masnari [00:03:50] Welcome, Brendan.
Brendan Blaney [00:03:51] Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys having me on the pod, and it's such a joy to talk about this thing I'm passionate about.
Masnari [00:03:58] We are super excited that you're here. Tell me a little bit about yourself. What's your role at Northwestern Medicine? How long have you been here? I would love to just get to know you a little bit.
Blaney [00:04:06] I started here at Northwestern Medicine in 2020 as a bedside nurse in the Oncology Department, and I worked here for the whole time since 2020, and my role has changed a little bit. I used to be a bedside nurse. I'm now an attending nurse. It's something I'm very passionate about, and I can see myself doing oncology care for a while.
Masnari [00:04:26] Alyssa tells me a little bit about your background in Zumba. You lost a bet, and that's how we're here. You lost a bet, and then you ended up on our podcast.
Saklak [00:04:33] This is by far, this is absolutely one of my favorite stories when getting to know Brendan. Tell us, tell the tell the people. How did you get involved in Zumba, Brendan?
Blaney [00:04:43] Freshman year of college, I lost a bet to my friend. She had bet that if she licked a full multiple feet of a college dorm carpet, then I had to go to a Zumba class with her. And I thought to myself, "There's no way, there's no way she's going to do this." And I wasn't. I was lukewarm about Zumba. I didn't care. But I was more so, like, of course not. And, I went to a Zumba class, so that means she did.
Masnari [00:05:11] We will not name that person on this podcast.
Blaney [00:05:14] No, no, no, no, no. I love her. She's wonderful. She convinced me to go to the Zumba class. I kind of dragged my feet there, and I was really, I wasn't dreading it, but I didn't want to get sweaty in a group and dance in a group. I do like dancing, but, I didn't think it was for me. I went to this first class, and I went to every class once a week for the whole semester, and then I did it for the full year.
Saklak [00:05:39] This is like by far, and I'm telling you, this is one of my favorite stories about Brendan, but even more so is that it wasn't just like a college phase, because I think with, when we talk about movement and physical fitness, we go through different phases. My gosh, I've been a runner, I've done basketball, I've done yoga, and there's so many different phases, but this one has stuck, so much so that you're still doing it. And you did it a lot when you were a new grad nurse too, so it was kind of like your outlet. Tell us more about how you've integrated that as you started as a new grad nurse.
Blaney [00:06:09] I started doing it, like I said, my whole freshman year of college. And, I like dancing, and I found out I really loved group fitness, so I did it for a year. And that instructor was like, "You should get certified. We could teach together." So I did, and I got certified. And all throughout nursing school I was a Zumba instructor. Every Friday, I taught a class. It was very fun. But once I became a registered nurse at Northwestern Medicine, I found it was really, really helpful to stay consistent with a workout routine. But for me, I don't know about you both, I love being active. I love going for walks. I can't do the gym. The gym is such a tough place for me. And so for me, dancing and moving with a lot of people, group fitness, like I said, that is what really stuck with me. So that's something I was comfortable with. I had done it a lot. I know that when I stayed moving it was helpful to get my mind off of work after a long day as a nurse. So I kept doing that, and I've kept consistent with it. Not as frequent, but I still teach here and there in Chicago and also sometimes at Northwestern Medicine throughout different departments.
Masnari [00:07:17] I think there's something to be said for strength in numbers, but also the accountability of group fitness. Because if it's just me taking myself to the gym, it's so much harder for me to be motivated. But if I know that there will be other people there, Alyssa, I know you can relate to this. My competitive side kicks in.
Saklak [00:07:33] Laurin is the girl in the front of class, Zumba-ing her heart out. The one thing I loved that you talked about was that you couldn't do the gym. And I think for a lot of people, we all know that physical movement is good for us for multiple reasons, and your “why,” whether it's to stay healthy with your cardiovascular or for stress relief. And so the wellness industry is just booming with so many options. It can be almost overwhelming to choose what feels right and what what is good for you. You know, and I think for your story, you spoke to a lot with being a new grad, how it was consistent, how it helped. Has it changed for you at all? Have you incorporated other movements or has this been, like, you're the Zumba guy?
Blaney [00:08:14] I mean, I think my legacy is as the Zumba guy, but it has evolved a lot.
Saklak [00:08:19] We're giving you space to create whatever identity you want with this, but —
Blaney [00:08:23] Thank you so much for that. Well, like I said, I love dance fitness, and I, I've always loved dancing, but I knew working out was a great way for me to unwind. And when I say unwind, we know as bedside nurses, as nurses who work in the hospital, it can be really tough some shifts, emotionally, physically. And having that physical reliever of moving, doing something good for yourself in a positive way, being selfish with your own body, in your own health. I love that. And that's something that has changed because I was on day shift. I was on night shift for a year. I was back on day shift. My hours have changed a lot. Working 12-hour shifts really affects what days you can and can't work out and also how to get in a regular rhythm. And I found for me it's a lot easier to do it at the end of the day. I cannot wake up before a shift and work out well.
Saklak [00:09:13] Well and that's the beauty is everyone, it's so funny when you ask your group of nurse friends, everyone has different routines. And sometimes you can feel that pressure as a healthcare professional to quote unquote fit this mold of a healthy individual. And to the group, Laurin and Brendan, have you guys ever felt that pressure to be the image of health because you are in this field and you see patients and people? You know, I think that's something I've personally experienced even with family and loved ones who are asking you health advice or questions because you're a nurse, and that physical movement and fitness piece is a huge pressure too. So, Brendan, you know, to your point, when you work a shift and you're exhausted after 12, there's a little bit of guilt when you're like, "Oh gosh, I need to move. I need to add some movement to my life." How have you guys dealt with that, or is that just a me thing?
Blaney [00:10:01] It's not just the you thing. It's a great, it's a great point. You're right. After a 12-hour shift, I've realized for myself, it is this expectation and almost like a guilt, like you said. It's a such a fine line of being kind to yourself and doing it for yourself. And also the societal pressures of being a nurse and being a healthcare professional and being someone that people look to for that kind of guidance. I struggle with that. I don't know about you, Laurin.
Masnari [00:10:27] I mean, I think everywhere you look, there are people or things or ads or influencers telling you what you should be doing or not doing. You have to take all of that with a grain of salt. And Alyssa, we've talked before about how health and wellness looks so different to different people. And that's the beauty of having these conversations, is that we get to see how all of these domains of wellness overlap with one another and they all play off of each other. And some people have strength in one area, and other people have strength in another. But I think that just really amplifies how health and wellness looks different for everyone.
Blaney [00:10:57] One thing that Brendan and I had talked about was how being a Zumba instructor in kind of this world has helped him provide better patient care. And I thought the crossover of how he uses some of those skills he learned as a Zumba instructor, I see a lot of myself as a nurse and Brendan and Laurin, you can attest to this, of he was like, "Oh yeah, I love to sing and dance." I go, "Same. I'm singing and dancing with all my patients." And so I would love to hear more of how it's translated to even just the skills of, of caring for our patients.
Blaney [00:11:27] Of course. I love being an instructor. The fun part of it is you get to yell at people in a nice way, in a fun way, and you can call them out for things like, “Get those knees higher!” or, “You got to, you got to jump! You got to work out! Let's break a sweat!” And while I'm not yelling at my patients to break a sweat and do that same thing, but sometimes they need a pep talk. I'm going to give an example. If someone is newly diagnosed with a type of cancer in my kind of world, there's a lot of mixed feelings. There's, it's a horrific overcoming of, you know, “I have this massive condition and it's going to take a long time.” And what they need in that moment is an instructor to tell them, “We're going to be with you every step of the way. So let's get those knees pumping, and let's see what we've got to do to get through this treatment.”
Saklak [00:12:15] I love that energy, though. And I think, to your point, though, even as nurses like, we may not feel like moving, even though we know it's good for us, same like our patients. And sometimes you need that person to kind of help pull you out and go for a walk or go to the lakefront or ride a bike.
Blaney [00:12:31] It's such a great way to not only like express yourself in a fun way, but also let off whatever you have taken on as your role as a nurse. Listening to people and their stories and their heartbreaks and their wins and everything in between, especially inpatient. The people who are really healthy don't come to the hospital. And that's really important to recognize. So when people come to the hospital, and they're not doing well, and they're in our unit, there's a lot of the emotional needs that they have, and listening and taking on some of those things, I think that's natural as a nurse to take on the emotional care. And that can weigh on you if you don't let it out through exercising and doing things after work that are positively selfish, I say. Specific for me, I take on a lot during the day. So what I want to do is unwind, and I want to do these things that let my body just physically decompress.
Saklak [00:13:23] Have you found throughout your different career moves and being at the bedside to an attending role, like, how have you carved that time out for yourself? Because it's not always an accessible thing for people.
Blaney [00:13:33] Yeah, that's been really tough, especially when I didn't have as consistent of a schedule as I do now. Working three 12s, trying to find a day and carving out a time. It was easier to say like, "Oh, I'll work out this day when I'm off." But putting a specific time to that I found is really helpful, and blocking it out in your calendar. Because that way if someone asks me, "What are you doing this time?" or "Do you have plans for this?" I'll look at my calendar and say, "Oh, I'm planning on working out at this time." And even if it doesn't happen exactly at that time, it's on my calendar. I found it really important because if I don't make that time and I just say that I'm going to work out, if there's not something hard in my calendar, it makes it a lot tougher for me to actually put forth the effort. But when it's written down, it's a commitment to myself, it's a promise to myself, and also it's a promise to me not to overcommit to do other things. It's a time for me to focus on myself. I don't know if you, Laurin, have any other ways that you've carved out time.
Masnari [00:14:31] I was just going to say I appreciate what you said about scheduling time for yourself. I think that's so important because our calendars are often so full, and there are so many things that are competing for our time and energy. And I'm very much a write it down to cross it out kind of person to get through my day. So my calendar really holds me accountable. I go to a barre class, and when I see that I have those classes scheduled out in my week, it helps me stay accountable for the promise that I made to myself when I booked it, as opposed to in the moment. If I see that there's a class in a half an hour, there are 100 other things that I could think of doing, and I probably wouldn't go. I resonate a lot with that. Scheduling time for yourself is super important.
Blaney [00:15:15] And even the little time that you can have sometimes, I will have occasional breaks after work depending on when you leave. Sometimes I walk home to my apartment, which is many, many miles from Northwestern Medicine. But it's a nice break because I know that's time for myself, and that's time I get to make for my own space. Just because I can't guarantee myself time after that, or a guarantee I'm going to a workout class or doing those things, but whatever time is available, try and make it at least somewhat accessible for me because that's what I want to do that day. And it's what works with how I'm feeling as long as I have that time set aside.
Saklak [00:15:54] Brendan, I want to thank you so much for coming on, and I think you are an inspiration here on our campus, and I want to thank you for telling us your story behind it and sharing different perspectives of how we can apply this to our lives as as healthcare professionals.
Blaney [00:16:10] Thank you.
Masnari [00:16:11] Thanks, Brendan. We appreciate you.
Saklak [00:16:12] I still want to see Brendan do a little dance, though.
Blaney [00:16:15] Oh, I believe me. Believe me, I will. Soon and very soon. If you put shuffle on a Pitbull playlist, there's a chance I might just show up and start doing a Zumba routine.
Saklak [00:16:27] Oh I love this. I am going to test you one day.
Masnari [00:16:36] Thanks for tuning in.
Saklak [00:16:37] Better, RN is brought to you by the Woman's Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.