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Academic Mentoring Program to Support Mentors, Mentees, and a Healthy Work Environment
No full textThe purpose of this presentation is to share an innovative, year-long mentoring program for new faculty implemented at one academic health science center and its impact on mentors, mentees, and fostering a healthy work environment.
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The Top 10 Ideas to Consider When Revising Your Mission Statement
No full textThis session will discuss ideas to consider when an organization is reviewing its mission statement. Members of a university’s Mission and Philosophy Committee will share lessons learned from a recent experience with reviewing and revising a mission statement.
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Implementation of a Serenity Lounge to Improve Nurse Practice Environment, Burnout, and Turnover
No full textProject results show that implementation of a serenity lounge helped to improve staff reports of burnout and unit turnover rate, highlighting the importance of nursing staff and leadership involvement in promoting a healthy work environment.
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Implementing a Compassion Response Program Can Provide Clinicians With Needed Stress Relief
No full textA Compassion Response initiative provides an environment that encourages and gives permission to all caregivers to engage in compassionate self-care practices when dealing with challenging circumstances. Responders convey concerned support for those experiencing a traumatic or emotionally overwhelming event at the time it is needed.
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Exploring Predictors of Resilience and Burnout in Acute Care Nursing Leaders
Get PDFIndividuals who work in nurse leader roles are vital to support safe patient care and achievement of organizational goals. They are also at risk for burnout and low levels of professional well-being. This presentation will offer a summary of a research study that explored variables associated with mental well-being in acute care nurse leaders and identified predictors of resilience and burnout
Evolving Role of Hospital Chaplains: Optimizing Patient, Staff, Self Well-Being During Pandemic
Get PDFAbstract Text: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented strain upon healthcare systems worldwide, presenting hospital chaplains with unique challenges in responding to the increased emotional, mental, and spiritual distress experienced by patients, families, and staff, while also having to prioritize their own well-being.1-3 Traditional methods of providing care were largely unavailable to these chaplains during the pandemic, requiring them to adopt new strategies and innovative ways to maintain engagement with patients and hospital staff.4-5
Study Aim: This study aimed to explore chaplains\u27 experiences in caring for patients, family, and staff during the height of the pandemic, as the initial step in better understanding their evolving roles and identifying targeted strategies to maximize their positive impact, particularly, during times of crises.
Methods: For this qualitative study, 11 chaplains at a tertiary hospital located in Southern California participated in semi-structured interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic. A thematic analysis was conducted to categorize emergent themes relating to elements of the chaplains’ evolving roles in caring for patients/families, the healthcare team, and the chaplains themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: Chaplains discussed the challenges of supporting patients and families through the grief and anxiety of physical isolation during COVID with many particularly highlighting the spiritual and emotional distress around patients dying alone. Additionally, chaplains had to be “more and more creative” and figure out “how to be a presence through technology.” Chaplains also delved deeply into the growing role of caring for hospital staff to alleviate distress, moral injury, and trauma. Finally, chaplains discussed ways in which they practiced self-care including working from home or adjusting work schedules through the support of their supervisors, expanding their prayer life, and incorporating technology to maintain connections with “a community of people who I know and trust.”
Implications: The Chaplains’ role within the healthcare team has evolved under the stressors of the pandemic and has expanded their scope of practice to both patients and healthcare providers. Future studies are needed to better understand the impact of various innovative solutions (e.g., technology) to promote spiritual health and well-being for both patients and healthcare workers alike
Advocating for Nurse Engagement: Cultivating Leadership and Resource Availability
No full textBackground: Approximately three million nurses report to work daily across the United States (Alexander et al., 2021). Despite this number, there is a critical nursing shortage that must be addressed (Bong, 2019). Nurses work in a high-demand profession that affects their ability to acquire or conserve resources to stay engaged and avoid burnout (Contreras et al., 2020; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2023). Healthcare organizations must focus on retaining nurses by providing them with resources and tools to be engaged and provide quality care (Bong, 2019; Contreras et al., 2020; Othman & Nasurdin, 2019).Methods: A review of literature was performed to identify facilitators that improve nurse engagement. A search was conducted using electronic databases with search terms specific to nursing engagement. Data searches were comprehensive, and all pertinent articles were included.Results: The top facilitators identified for nursing engagement were supportive leadership and access to adequate resources. Leaders who are supportive, involved, and provide positive communication and appropriate resources can significantly improve nurse engagement (Alexander et al., 2021; Alotaibi et al. 2020; Contreras et al., 2020; Orgambídez & Almeida, 2020; Othman & Nasurdin, 2019; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2023; Sellers et al., 2019). Furthermore, nurses with sufficient personal resources were found to be more motivated and dedicated to their work. Those with access to adequate job resources experienced enhanced personal growth and development, along with an increased ability to meet organizational goals and job demands (Alotaibi et al., 2020; Clark et al., 2021; Contreras et al., 2020; Dall’Ora et al., 2020; Othman & Mohd Nasurdin, 2019; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2023). Cultivating nurse engagement can improve nurses’ job performance and satisfaction, commitment to the organization, and patient care and outcomes (Contreras et al., 2020; Orgambídez & Almeida, 2020; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2023).Conclusion: Othman and Nasurdin (2019) state that “having an engaged nursing workforce is one of the strategic imperatives for healthcare organizations worldwide in light of the multitude of challenges associated with the provision of quality healthcare” (p. 432). Healthcare organizations and leaders need to promote awareness and implement interventions to increase engagement within the workplace (Alotaibi et al., 2020; Contreras et al., 2020; Paustian-Underdahl et al., 2023)
The Power of Wellness and Self-Care: Transforming Transition to Practice Programs
No full textIn alignment with literature findings and program data, RNs transitioning into a new specialty experienced heightened levels of stress and anxiety related to role transitions and changes in workplace settings. The integration of a structured, evidence-based wellness program would prioritize the mental health, well-being, and self-care of experienced nurses entering a new practice setting. NPD Practitioners collaborated with organizational subject matter experts to develop resources & curriculum for the Transition to Practice Specialty RN Program to reduce stressors and enhance a positive experience & transition. Wellness Huddles were designed and integrated into the TTP program to support RN personal and professional development as they evolve into effective clinicians, focusing on self-care, resiliency, and daily wellness habits. The wellness huddles integrated PTAP domains, ANA Scope & Standards, and Nursing Code of Ethics provisions. Discussions on wellness and resources were initiated during Program Orientation and continued throughout the entirety of the program. Monthly Wellness huddles showcased topics including guided meditation, finding purpose, mental health wellness, building sense of self and gratitude exercises. The Wellness Huddles and reflective sessions offer the RN fellows a secure, dedicated space to build resilience, enhance wellness, develop clinical nursing judgment, and foster professional growth and development. The RN fellows are empowered to identify stressors and provided with tools and micro-practices to support their mental health, wellness, self-care, and psychological safety on their fellowship journey. Based on pre and post evaluations, participants have reported a significant increase in the knowledge and skill adaptation of wellbeing and mental health. Many fellows have stated how important and meaningful the Wellness Huddles are for them and have shared ways in which they have put their learnings into personal and professional practice settings. These meaningful interventions comply with Sustainable Development Goals and highlight good health and wellbeing, industry, innovation, and infrastructure, and partnership for goals. The addition of this evidence- based, structured, and standardized wellness program provide RNs dedicated time to enhance wellness and have shown an increase in retention, positive patient outcomes, increased peer-to-peer support, and a successful transition into practice
Aligning Operational Excellence With Sustainable Development Goals in a School of Nursing
No full textOperational excellence is one of our priorities for the 2023-2028 strategic plan at our School of Nursing. The Office of Strategy and Global Affairs at UNC School of Nursing is committed to continuous improvement of sustainable operational excellence. The sustainable development goals/global goals were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, with a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The purpose is to present an overview of the formation, evolution, and evaluation of the Office of Strategy and Global Affairs in the School of Nursing which focused on meeting needs of our present community without compromising future generations abilities to meet their own needs. We share 3 examples of sustainability in our School of Nursing with an emphasis on protecting the planet: 1) supporting small business owners to support the local community, 2) using companies with all-green floral arrangements, and 3) avoiding plastic waste and substitute for ecofriendly and biodegradable alternatives. Our community had mixed perspectives about integrating these sustainable development goals into our School of Nursing. Creating a healthy work environment to protect the planet has clear benefits for nursing students, faculty, and employee culture and retention. Eco-friendly behaviors and initiatives can lead to happier employees. Our School of Nursing is committed to a sustainable and healthy work environment
Transforming a Nurse Residency Program: Building Resilience to Enhance Professional Well-Being
No full textIntroduction: A nurse residency program fosters professional growth and aids in the transition into practice. As nurses enter the workforce, they may become overwhelmed and stressed. There is a growing recognition that nurses need assistance in developing skills for resilience. A process of adapting when faced with challenges such as stress and adversity. Educating nurses in a residency program by providing interventions to promote healthy behaviors, self- care and develop a resiliency plan enhances the work environment and allows nurses to flourish. Nurses that build self-care into personal resilience plans bolster individual wellness and promote wellness. Integrating a culture of self-care and resiliency leads to increased job satisfaction and helps protect against compassion fatigue and burnout. Overall nurses need tools to create and maintain a supportive healthy work environment and actively participate in self-care.
Methods: The nurse residency program was enhanced by designing self-care activities using evidence-based interventions, collaborating with practice partners and implementing components of the AACN Wellness & Leadership Toolkit. Strategies include exercise breaks and “wellness champions.” Themed educational self-care modules were implemented based on the five pillars of health: nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, emotional well-being. Numerous self-care engagement activities were infused into the program such as: mindfulness practices, participating in a healthy escape room, and providing a self-care first aid kit. The nurse residents were required to develop a self-care plan and a resilience plan prior to graduating from the program.
Utilizing Kolb’s experiential learning model, learning assessments were designed to include self-reflections monthly regarding nurse resident’s interest in the topic and success of achieving their self-care goals. Qualitative & Quantitative methods are used to exam evaluations.
Conclusion: Nurses leaders must support self-care with engaging activities early in the nurses’ transition to practice. Fostering practices to develop personal resilience strategies in the workplace during residency, orientation programs and throughout organizational tenure helps protect against compassion fatigue and burnout. Practicing work-life balance and self-care leads to resilience, improved patient outcomes and retention. Creating a healthy work environment that is supportive of self-care behaviors is vital to the profession