Nurse Well-Being

Nursing Professionals and the Healthcare Workforce

The nursing profession is a challenging and rewarding profession. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, providing direct critical care to patients, educating patients and families about illness and treatment, managing medications, and much more.

Nurses play an important role in the healthcare workforce. They provide a range of services that allow for the smooth running of hospitals and other medical facilities.

Nurses Physical and Mental Health

Physical health and mental health affects nurses’ well being and how they handle their day to day tasks. Nurses are a vital part of the healthcare system. They provide care to patients and offer support to their families. However, nurses are at risk for physical and mental health issues due to their demanding work environment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016 an estimated 1 in 5 nurses reported symptoms of depression. Nurses also experience higher rates of burnout than the general population: in a survey done by the American Nurses Association, more than half of respondents said they were burned out or were experiencing signs of burnout.

This is not surprising considering that nurses spend an average of 60 hours per week on their job, and have been found to be at risk for musculoskeletal disorders because they often have to lift heavy objects such as patients and equipment.

According to recent research studies it has also shown that burnout impacts other healthcare team members. This is because nurses and healthcare providers who are burned out and dissatisfied with their jobs tend to negatively “feed on each other”, creating a more toxic work environment.

Nursing Environment and Burnout

One of the primary factors that contribute to nurses’ burnout is their lack of involvement in hospital policy decisions. Participation in policy decision-making is correlated with reduced burnout. The relationship between time pressure and participation in hospital affairs is mediated by nurses’ perceived ability to make decisions. Nurses who participated in research groups were also less likely to experience emotional exhaustion and burnout, and their satisfaction with the organization’s leadership was positively associated with higher levels of personal achievement.

How to Maintain Nurse Well Being

Factors contributing to a positive state of nurse well being include altruism, self-care and meaningful recognition. Being able to provide nurses with an outlet to express their feelings can help with stress reduction, and it can have a positive impact on their overall well being.

Researchers have linked meaningful recognition to burnout reduction and higher job satisfaction. Meaningful recognition of nurses is a powerful way to express gratitude to nurses for compassionate and extraordinary care.  Gratitude has the power to change organizational culture, and supporting the use of meaningful recognition as a form of gratitude is an effective well being initiative to increase compassion satisfaction and mitigate burnout in the clinical setting. 

How to Support Nurses

Nurses are often under-appreciated for the work they do. It is important to recognize a nurse’s worth and show them appreciation for all that they do. Nurses can also be encouraged by giving them autonomy in how they do their job and providing opportunities for career development.

Nurses who have peer to peer conversations with other nurses will begin to understand that they are not alone. It is helpful for nurses to know they have someone to talk to, and it helps them shift their focus to something that is more helpful than harmful.

Educational Workshops

Educational workshops are a great tool for nurses to take advantage of. Nurses can benefit from opportunities to learn more about self-care and how to reduce stress and anxiety. When nurses are given the right tools and educational materials, they can become better thought leaders.

Workplace Wellness Programs

There are many advantages to workplace wellness programs for nurses. For one thing, they are beneficial for nursing employees’ health, as their jobs are often physically demanding. Nurses spend many hours on their feet and manually lift and move patients.

They also deal with emotional and psychological pressures that can be debilitating. Wellness programs and Wellbeing resources provide nurses with a means to care for themselves while at work and give their patients the best possible care. In addition, nurses who take part in wellness programs are more likely to report that they have better job satisfaction.

Healthy Nutrition Carts

Nurses often spend a lot of time on the job, so health care organizations have recognized the importance of offering nutritious snacks and other healthy resources to support the organization’s Wellbeing initiative. Healthy nutrition carts deliver healthy snacks right to nurses’ work areas and units. They help regulate blood sugar levels and offer a source of connection for nurses and their peers.

In addition, the carts are also useful for keeping nurses hydrated between meals, and they also serve as great networking tools. If you are a nurse without a healthy nutritional cart, consider asking your supervisor to invest in a healthy nutrition cart for your hospital!

Stress Management

Nurses face a number of different situations throughout their careers. Among these are the routine tasks of providing well-patient care, emergency room visits, and treating the victims of natural disasters. Nurses in these environments are particularly vulnerable to stress. To cope with the rigors of their jobs, nurses must learn how to manage stress and develop a strong support system.

It is important to recognize the importance of self-care. Nurses must accept that their ability to care for others depends on their own Wellbeing. By practicing self-care, nurses can protect themselves from the negative effects of traumatic events. Ultimately, nurses who have learned to manage their stress have experienced the rewards of their work, including a higher level of tolerance for patients, a deeper sense of gratitude, and a deeper appreciation for their families and loved ones.

Learning Culture

To create a learning culture that supports nursing wellness, the first step is establishing a shared framework of what constitutes a “learning culture.” This common framework will provide a shared understanding of the importance of the practice of relational competence in healthcare. Nursing students will gain a deeper understanding of these concepts through interactions with faculty and peers. They will also gain a more nuanced perspective of how nursing can enhance the Wellbeing of patients.

Self-Care

The concept of self-care in nursing has become increasingly important in the field. While the practice is not new, interest in it is growing. Nursing and other healthcare leaders have adopted a suite of practice standards and quality standards that highlight the importance of self-care. In particular, international standards mandate the practice of self-care. This study examined nurses’ perspectives on the topic. Using self-awareness to inform practice, the authors identify barriers and enablers that prevent nurse Wellbeing.

To stay healthy and be emotionally available to others, nurses and other healthcare professionals need to pay attention to their own energy levels and be self-aware and mindful as they interact with patients, families, and each other. It is important not only to practice self-care for your body, but for your mind and spirit as well. When we take the time to care for ourselves all our other relationships, the ones with colleagues, and patients and families, are healthy and more effective.

The importance of self-care for nurses cannot be overstated. Managing the challenges of the job can be a challenge in itself. However, by focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you can change your perspective and develop gratitude. Self-care is not a luxury but a necessity for nurse Wellbeing.

Nursing Wellness

Many hospitals have created programs for nurses to focus on their mental balance and wellness. These programs can help nurses with stress management, coping with burnout, coping with depression, coping with worry, etc.

An important aspect of these programs is that they remind participants to eat healthy foods, to get enough sleep, and exercise regularly, but organizations need to allow time and space for more than exercise and green vegetables. In order for a nurse wellness program to be effective, it needs to be tailored specifically for that person’s needs – not just a one-size fits all method. Nurses need to slow down and take time to self-attune so they can learn to set healthy boundaries. Understanding healthy boundaries is important to our ability to connect with others, be present and compassionate without taking on their emotional state.

Impact of Wellbeing on Patient Care

The importance of wellness is critical in determining the overall quality of life in our country. Health and Wellbeing balance and synergy is challenging with work and life’s stresses, but nurse self-care and self-awareness are fundamental for having the capacity to care for others Such behavior may also cause long-term health complications resulting in poor performance in work.

Creative Health Care Management

Over the last four decades, Creative Health Care Management (CHCM) has helped transform health care with Relationship-Based Care (RBC), delivered comprehensive Magnet® preparation services, and revolutionized the field of competency assessment.

Our interprofessional team has partnered with health care organizations of all sizes on five continents on everything from one-day presentations to organizational and system-wide assessments, multi-day workshops, and multi-year RBC implementations and Magnet® journeys.