5 Ways to Build Resilience in Nursing

• Now more than ever, nurses have had to overcome so much.
• From constant low-staffing rates, increased workload demands, and feelings of burnout, it is no question that it takes resilience to stay in the field.
• Wondering how you can build your or your team’s resilience in nursing? We’ve got you covered!

Being a nurse takes grit, adversity, and hard work.

Over the past two years, nurses have endured some of the hardest times that the healthcare industry has ever witnessed.

Amidst an ongoing global pandemic, these healthcare providers continue to show up, risk their lives on the front lines, and give their all to their patients.

A career as a nurse takes pure resilience.

Cornell University defines resilience as being “one’s ability to cope with and bounce back from stress.” 

Of course, as with most skills and abilities, they require practice, nurturing, and continuous work to improve; this is no different with resilience.  

Curious on how you can build your or your team’s resilience in nursing? Keep reading! 

1. Embracing & Enforcing Accountability

You do not have to be in a leadership position to embrace accountability among your team.  

Now more than ever, nurses must work collaboratively to keep afloat during the staffing shortage crisis.  

Accountability in nursing can be from providing safe and quality care to patients, to following the facility’s guidelines and policies.  

Whether you choose to take on the resilience-building role of the “Accountant” who assumes ownership for the performance of their team or not, ensuring that your team is holding each other accountable is a tried-and-true way to build resilience in nursing.  

2. Incorporating More Self-Care Practices

In order to build and establish resilience in nursing practices, you must take care of yourself.  

Whether it’s through pre-work meditation or going for a walk, there are so many ways to incorporate self-care into your daily life.  

The benefits truly outweigh the cons here. See for yourself:  

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIHMH) outlines that setting aside time to practice self-care can decrease your risk of contracting illnesses, lower your stress and anxiety levels, and increase your energy.  

3. Accepting Change

As previously mentioned, the past two years in healthcare have been unlike anything we have seen in hundreds of years.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant losses in resources, staffing, and so much more to healthcare facilities worldwide.  

The ability to stay in the nursing field has become harder than joining. 

Now more than ever, the ability to accept that there will always be constant change and that we must push forward is essential for the success of nursing practice. 

We do not, and will never know what the future holds, but adversity and resilience are invaluable skillsets to bring to your team.  

4. Developing a Support System for Colleagues

Nursing can be an emotionally strenuous profession.  

From patient losses to angry family members, there is a lot that can go on throughout the day that they must deal with.  

Psychology Today outlines that debriefing or venting some of your stressors to someone you trust is a great way to alleviate tension and stress.  

Of course, in most cases, a lot of common stressors that you may encounter during your shift, someone else on your team probably has, too.  

By allowing this support system dynamic among your team, it is one of the slow-turning wheels that builds resilience in nursing.  

5. Educating Others on the Dangers of Nursing Burnout

Burnout is one of the major contributors to the nursing shortage, and it is a threat to patient safety.  

From an increase in medical errors, decreased attention to detail and productivity, as well as physical and emotional exhaustion, it is evident that the risks of nursing burnout are detrimental to a healthcare facility.  

As we have all experienced, the COVID-19 pandemic has truly exacerbated the burnout crisis among healthcare providers, and it is something that we must address; lives are at stake.  

Reputable sources such as the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, outline that fostering resilience in nursing is central to improving provider health and decreasing the prevalence of burnout, which in turn, positively impacts patient outcomes.  

If the healthcare team and administration can work collaboratively to address signs of burnout upon first recognition, provide valuable resources when needed, and increase awareness of the dangers of nursing burnout, resilience will strengthen.  

Read More