Health can be viewed as the freedom from mental and physical illness which identifies the importance of good health in complementing a good life (Evans, 2017). My personal lifestyle is physically healthy as I do not smoke or drink alcohol however, I do struggle to eat healthily in terms of not maintaining a nutritious diet. Due to Covid, I have spent the majority of my time at home which has hindered my physical wellbeing although I do enjoy hikes and walks as they can be both mentally and physically advantageous to the body and mind. To maintain good health, it is vital to have a balance between physical activities and those that encourage mental well-being such as exercise which helps to clear the mind as well as connecting to a community and spending time with loved ones. In terms of mental well-being, my personal goal is to grow in confidence as I prepare for my first placement as currently, I can be quite reluctant to new settings and environments. At the moment, I can be overwhelmed by certain circumstances like having to step out of my comfort zone, and
therefore hope that my placement can increase my self-esteem and alleviate any anxiety so that my mental well-being can be catered for. Despite these minute obstacles, I consider myself to be mentally and physically healthy as I am grateful to explore new opportunities such as my first placement. Good health and fitness are necessary for nurses to acknowledge so that they can be equipped to care for patients as well as ‘be role models for patients and be in the best of health in order to carry out nursing roles efficiently’. (RCN, 2021). This coincides with the NMC code of ‘practicing effectively’ (NMC,2018) as nurses can only provide effective care if they are also fit enough to care for others, highlighting the importance of good health for student nurses so that safety is preserved for both patients and nurses. It is important as a student nurse to attend to my own health and well-being for my placement so that I don’t fail in demonstrating efficient care and caring for myself mentally so that I am able to maintain a positive attitude in my work.