Introduction: Self‐care is essential for nurses' wellbeing, with stress posing a major barrier. Research into self‐care is often absorbed into studies of burnout or resilience. Understanding lived experiences of influences on nurses' self‐care practices is essential. There is currently a paucity of literature on this topic. Aim: To explore mental health nurses' views about what influences their ability to self‐care in relation to workplace stress and the impact on their practice and work environment. Methods: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was utilized. In‐depth interviews explored how nurses perceived the influence of environment and relationships on self‐care practices in the workplace. Results: Participants' perceptions and experiences are embodied by the theme: the nurse bombarded, comprising two subordinate themes—the nurse consumed by the intensity of work and therapeutic relationships; and feeling vulnerable from colleague relationships and feeling undervalued. Participants described conflict between workload demands and expectations and the desire to provide optimal care. Conclusions: Stressful working environments pose major barriers to effective self‐care. Feeling bombarded and vulnerable, impacts nurses' lives personally and professionally. Implications for Practice: Mental health nurses' self‐care is crucial for quality practice. Strategies to address relational, personal and environmental barriers to self‐care are therefore necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]