Higher inpatient acuity, staffing shortages, constant organizational changes, and a less tenured nursing workforce are persistent challenges today in healthcare. A growing body of nursing literature underscores the urgent need to better support our nurses not only for their physical health, but also all aspects of holistic health, including emotional and financial. Through doing so, we will be safeguarding the quality of the patient care they deliver.

The literature has noted several effective strategies to promote well-being in the workplace. These include managing consecutive work hours, limiting work hours to 40 hours per week, establishing peer support groups, and providing designated quiet spaces for relaxation during shifts. On the individual level, eating healthy foods, getting sufficient sleep, and practicing mindfulness have been shown to improve overall well-being and resilience (Williams et al., 2022). 

Evidence-based interventions have shown enhancement to nurses’ quality of life, both in their professional environments and personal lives. While nurses are central to providing patient care, their own well-being frequently receives insufficient attention—despite clear evidence that it directly impacts patient outcomes and quality of care (Melnyk et al., 2018).

In 2022, the nursing leadership team for Jefferson Health North Region identified the need to establish a designated role to support our nurses’ well-being exclusively and committed to funding this role in perpetuity. Through fundraising and the establishment of endowed funds, we introduced the inaugural role of program manager of nurse well-being. We surveyed staff and began to develop a strategic plan to ensure we were taking a holistic approach to providing support. In 2024, the second program manager of nurse well-being was introduced to the health system.

The role of the program manager for nurse well-being is an innovative and unique position dedicated to the work of promoting nurse wellness, resilience, and fostering a positive, supportive, and healthy work environment. The program manager has many roles—including conducting comprehensive and ongoing needs assessments to learn about nurse stressors and develop strategies to address them; developing and implementing micro-learnings to promote well-being that are available during nurses’ daily practice; creating ongoing and dynamic self-directed interventions and tool kits; and providing peer support systems.

A day with the program manager of nurse well-being includes multiple planned and unplanned interventions. The day typically starts with proactive reach outs to any member of the nursing department involved in an untoward event, such as a first code or death, an incident of workplace violence, or any issue identified by a nurse manager or the incident reporting system. The purpose of the proactive reach outs to staff members is to demonstrate care from nursing leadership, offer support, and provide any needed resources to improve their well-being. The program managers visit all in-patient care areas weekly to offer support, resources, and sometimes sweet treats. Utilizing a cart stocked with tools, resources, and snacks, the rounds are a welcome and anticipated event.

The program manager plans and implements ongoing events related to all aspects of well-being, including tabling events for employee assistance programs, pet therapy rounds, and mindfulness moments. Every campus has experienced the development and planning of wellness space for staff, utilizing input from each campus’ nurses to best plan what they would like in their space. Massage chairs, well-being resources, quiet environments, and stress management tools are just a few of the resources provided in the spaces. As we continue to assess the impact of our programs, we have begun a series to support our nurse managers as well.

I have found that it is imperative for all nurse leaders and educators to provide not only a safe and stimulating work environment, but also a practice environment that is obvious in the support of nurses’ individual holistic health needs. It really is simple: no one can pour from an empty cup. When we strategically care for our nurses’ well-being, we strengthen not only our individual nurses, but our entire healthcare system. As nurse leaders, we need to be fierce advocates not just for our patients, but for those who provide care to them every day. 
 

References

• Melnyk, B. M., Orsolini, L., Tan, A., Arslanian-Engoren, C., Melkus, G. D., Dunbar-Jacob, J., Rice, V. H., Millan, A., Dunbar, S. B., Braun, L. T., Wilbur, J., Chyun, D. A., Gawlik, K., & Lewis, L. M. (2018). A national study links nurses' physical and mental health to medical errors and perceived worksite wellness. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60(2), 126–131. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000001198 
• Williams, S., Fruh, S., Barinas, J., Graves, R. (2022). Self-care in nurses. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 41(1), 22-27. doi: 10.1016/j.jradnu.2021.11.001