## Burnout, anyone? Healthcare Heroes Need a Helping Hand
Let’s be real, the world of healthcare isn’t exactly known for its chill vibes. Between long hours, demanding patients, and the constant pressure to deliver life-saving care, it’s no surprise that burnout is a major issue for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
The Need for Further Investigation into Individual Characteristics that Foster Resilience
As shown in the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, nurse well-being is impacted by individual factors, including personality, resilience, and social support. While there is emerging evidence that some nurses are able to remain healthy and whole despite the constraints imposed by the system, further investigation is needed to understand the individual and system characteristics that create the conditions for nurses to thrive in the midst of complexity, uncertainty, and unpredictability.
Nurses need the skills and tools that enable them to exercise their autonomy, agency, and competence within these systems. Therefore, it is essential to examine individual-level approaches to well-being and identify the characteristics that foster resilience in nurses.
Systems-Level Approaches to Well-Being
A Review of Organizational and Environmental Factors that Impact Nurse Well-Being
The external environment, organizational structure and policies, and the conditions of day-to-day work all impact nurse well-being. These factors can either strengthen or diminish nurse well-being, and it is essential to address them to promote nurse well-being.
The Need for Evidence-Based Interventions and Rigorous Evaluation
Although there exists no menu of ready-to-implement, evidence-based interventions for improving nurse well-being, many efforts currently being pursued can offer inspiration and opportunities for evaluation, replication, and scalability. However, more randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to examine the efficacy of such interventions, as many of the available studies have weaknesses in their methodologies.
The Concept of “Wellness as Fairness” and its Implications for Health Workforce Well-Being
The concept of “wellness as fairness” suggests that wellness is not just an individual responsibility but also a collective one. This concept has implications for health workforce well-being, as it highlights the need to address structural barriers to well-being and promote health equity in the health profession.
As described in earlier chapters of this report, nurses are being called on to dismantle racism and to advance the social mission of making health better and fairer. Similarly, in the public health field, it is acknowledged that a focus on both individual personal transformation and structural change is needed to detect, confront, and prevent racism.
Addressing Structural Barriers to Well-Being
The Role of Federal Regulators, Insurance Companies, and Technology Companies in Supporting Nurse Well-Being
Some barriers to well-being can be addressed only at the organizational and external environmental levels. For example, the burden of technology on nurses must be lifted by federal regulators, insurance companies, technology companies, and the like.
The Importance of Addressing Racism and Promoting Health Equity in the Health Profession
Racism is a significant structural barrier to well-being in the health profession. It is essential to address racism and promote health equity to promote nurse well-being.
As noted in Chapter 4, there has been a shift in patient care settings away from cultural competency toward cultural humility, and toward a focus on a lifelong approach to learning about diversity and the role of individual bias and systemic power in health care interactions.
The Need for Cultural Humility and Lifelong Learning in Nursing and Interprofessional Education
Specific approaches to weaving cultural humility concepts into nursing and interprofessional education are essential to promote nurse well-being. Research on the efficacy of interventions designed to reduce implicit bias has found that many of these interventions are ineffective, and some may even increase implicit biases.
Chapter 7 describes an evidence-based intervention, the prejudice habit-breaking intervention, that has been tested in RCTs and found to be effective in reducing implicit bias.
Moving Forward: Implications and Practical Aspects
The National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being: A Call to Action
The National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being is a call to action to drive collective action to strengthen health workforce well-being and restore the health of the nation.
The Role of Nurse Educators, Nursing Students, and Practicing Nurses in Advancing Workforce Well-Being
Nurse educators, nursing students, and practicing nurses have an essential role to play in advancing workforce well-being. They must work together to promote nurse well-being and address the structural barriers to well-being.
The Need for Collaboration and Collective Action to Achieve Optimal Health for All
Collaboration and collective action are essential to achieve optimal health for all. Geeksultd recognizes the importance of advancing health workforce well-being and promoting health equity in the health profession.
The National Academy of Medicine is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to nonpartisan, evidence-based leadership. Our aim is to advance science, inform policy, and catalyze action to achieve optimal health for all.
Conclusion
Healthy Providers, Healthy Patients: Advancing Workforce Well-Being in the Health Profession
In the pursuit of excellence in patient care, healthcare providers must prioritize their own well-being, as a healthy workforce is essential for delivering optimal care. The National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) recent publication, “Healthy Providers, Healthy Patients: Advancing Workforce Well-Being in the Health Profession,” presents a compelling case for the importance of workforce well-being in the healthcare industry. At its core, the article highlights the critical link between provider well-being and patient outcomes, emphasizing that a healthy workforce is not just a social responsibility, but a business imperative.
The research findings and policy recommendations in the NAM report underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing workforce well-being in the healthcare sector. The report highlights the significant impact of burnout, stress, and lack of control on patient care, and the detrimental effects of poor provider well-being on patient outcomes. Furthermore, the report argues that addressing workforce well-being requires a multifaceted approach that incorporates policy changes, employee engagement initiatives, and innovative solutions to support provider well-being. By prioritizing workforce well-being, healthcare providers can enhance patient care, improve outcomes, and ultimately drive the industry’s continued success.
As the healthcare sector continues to evolve and confront unprecedented challenges, the NAM’s recommendations offer a timely and relevant call to action. By prioritizing workforce well-being, healthcare providers can not only improve their own well-being but also contribute to the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care. Ultimately, the NAM’s report serves as a powerful reminder that the well-being of healthcare providers is inextricably linked to the well-being of their patients, and that a healthy workforce is the key to unlocking optimal patient outcomes.
