Maintaining well-being is about learning what keeps you balanced mentally, physically, and emotionally. No one knows that better than #healthynurse Jennifer Shepherd, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI. However, she also knows that well-being is a constant work in progress.
Shepherd learned critical tools for maintaining well-being early in her career, and they have served as a strong foundation. But through the COVID-19 pandemic and now, as a director at the American Nurses Association, she needed to pivot and add new strategies for self-care to preserve her physical and mental well-being.
"I may no longer be in direct bedside care anymore, but the strategies and practices I've picked up along the way are transferable," Shepherd says. "There is still stress at work, things that don't go as planned, and sometimes things are chaotic. But I've learned that I have the power to navigate and manage it."
Nursing organizations and the people I've met through them inspire me and remind me why I do what I do. The sense of connection and support they provide continues to strengthen my well-being.
Building a Foundation for Well-Being
Through various people and places, Shepherd learned how to foster her own well-being and created a foundation based upon:
Recognizing the value of mentorship
Shepherd became a nurse due in part to a mentorship during her adolescence. Her best friend's parents worked as a nurse and a physician, and they exposed Shepherd to the medical profession.
"Growing up in rural Virginia, my friend's father was the closest physician in the area," she says. "I worked in his clinic as a teenager, and that mentorship was an outlet for me. It put me on the path to nursing." The experience also made Shepherd open to being mentored and mentoring others throughout her career.
Valuing self-care as a critical tool for patient care
Shepherd was a pediatric critical care nurse early in her career. That's where she learned the importance of taking a moment for self-care.
"I grew up, so to speak, in a unit where the nursing leaders taught us to protect ourselves amidst controlled chaos, and it became second nature," Shepherd says, recalling regular debriefs and relief time after difficult situations. "We were conditioned to refuel ourselves, so we would come back prepared for the next round of patients needing our care."
Networking to see the world of nursing beyond her current role
During her last year of nursing school, Shepherd’s professors strongly encouraged her to join the ANA after passing her boards.
"I joined, but I did not initially see the long-term value," she says. "I just knew I wanted to feel connected and be part of something bigger. I wanted to look beyond my bubble. What didn't I know? What was possible? Networking within my professional circle helped me connect the dots to visualize a path for my career."
Shepherd deepened her professional engagement early in her career. She also expanded her contributions to the profession by taking on volunteer roles with several organizations, including:
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
- Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD, former NNSDO)
Additionally, she increased her engagement with the Virginia Nurses Association, where she recently completed her second term as vice president.
"Those nursing organizations and the people I've met through them inspire me and remind me why I do what I do," Shepherd says. "The sense of connection and support they provide continues to strengthen my well-being."
The biggest lesson I've learned is to give myself grace to feel balanced," Shepherd says. "I've learned to accept that it's a process, be okay with how it progresses, and be ready to pivot when needed.
Pivoting to Protect her Physical and Mental Health
Shepherd’s foundation in well-being served her well until the pandemic hit. Her work in a hospice unit was challenging, and she suffered from clinically diagnosed PTSD.
"My self-care tools and ICU skills didn't work as they had worked in the past," she says. "I needed to ask for help. I had to find places and actions that could put me back in balance, and that was not easy."
Bolstered by her Jewish faith, Shepherd focused on activities that benefited her physical and mental health. She got outside in nature, prioritized sleep, worked with a therapist, and ate healthy — switching to a plant-based diet to support better digestion.
Every choice Shepherd made for her well-being was valuable, but there are two elements of her journey that stand out and have stood the test of time:
Importance of faith
Shepherd has always been strong in faith and rooted in Jewish traditions. But she experienced a transformation in faith as she searched for balance.
"The pandemic made my faith stronger," she says. "If I feel overwhelmed in any way, that’s where I turn. My faith is the outlet that I never thought I needed prior to the pandemic."
The power of a hobby
In search of release and a de-stressor, gardening has become a beloved pastime for Shepherd. While her passion for gardening began with weeding, it grew into building a garden of butterfly bushes — and now involves growing vegetables. She and her husband recently built their first greenhouse. "I spend my downtime after work caring for my garden or reading about how to be more sustainable," Shepherd says. "I feel the release as soon as I enter the greenhouse. I can breathe and feel present. When I'm done, I go back to the chaos of life, but I feel different, like I hit a reset button."
How Lessons of the Past Translate to Today
Shepherd feels fortunate to have met the people who instilled her ability and drive to maintain a sense of well-being. The tools she has gathered along the way continue to serve her well. "The biggest lesson I've learned is to give myself grace to feel balanced," Shepherd says. "I've learned to accept that it's a process, be okay with how it progresses, and be ready to pivot when needed." Jennifer Shepherd, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI, is the Director of Nursing Practice, Work Environment, and Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation® at ANA. She is a past vice president of the Virginia Nurses Association, an adjunct faculty member at Marymount University, and serves on several advisory and leadership boards.
Jennifer Shepherd, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, FAAN, FFNMRCSI is Director of the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation program and Nursing Practice & Work Environment at the American Nurses Association.
