Abstract
Aim: Promoting an environment to embrace wellness and self-care. Does early education promote participation in self-care behaviors?
Background: According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), self-care is an ethical responsibility of all nurses. Provision 5 states: “The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health” (ANA 2015). It is apparent in the literature that although nurses are advocates for their patient’s health promotion, it does not necessarily translate into their own self-care behaviors. Nurses must promote a culture of self-care to reduces stress, burn out, and improve patient safety and the quality of care provided to patients. Self-care is a deliberate activity that must be practiced. Overall, nurses are leaving the bedside due to burn out, this negatively affects patient care, patient safety, retention and recruitment and institutional finances. Nurses that possess the knowledge & tools to participate in self-care activities when they are developing their professional identity are more likely to endure the physical and mental demands of the profession. Nurses must be alert to the signs of burnout and take care to prevent and address it.
Methods & Procedures: Using a convenient sample, over 90 students participated in a survey. In accordance with the AACN Essentials (2021) self-care competencies were developed. The nursing curriculum was infused with wellness, self-care and resilience strategies in the introduction courses, clinical courses and the transition to professionalism practice course. Additionally, all faculty were asked to provide self-care breaks to students during traditional and clinical courses. These include water breaks and short exercise breaks. Self-Care modules were developed on nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, socialization and mental well-being and were presented weekly. Students were surveyed weekly regarding their interest in the topic and success at achieving their self- care goal. Students were also required to join ANA Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation, develop a self-care plan and a resilience plan prior to graduation.
Results: Qualitative and Quantitative analysis reveal overall 96% of all participants changed behaviors and participated in some form of self-care weekly. 100 % of the participants found the self-care breaks restorative and improved focus in classes. The results of the weekly educational modules varied from 93% to 100% participated in self- care weekly. Overall data revealed improvement in knowledge and active participation in self-care activities.
Implication for Nursing: Nurse leaders, educators and administration must continue to shift the culture to one that prioritizes wellness, and encourage self-care engaging activities early in the development of the nurses’ professional identity. This can be accomplished in pre-licensure programs, in professional organizations, in the workplace during orientation and throughout the nurses’ tenure at an institution. Understanding work- life balance, self-care and resilience to protect the nurse’s health will impact patient outcomes, retention and reduce the rate of burnout. It is important to teach nurses to collectively promote and maintain wellness with self-care behaviors and work to create healthy environments that are supportive and respectful of the goal to engage in self-care behaviors.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Omega
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Wellness, Self Care, Psychological Resilience, Professional Burnout, Nursing Students, Nursing Education, Curriculum
Recommended Citation
Ambrosio-Mawhirter, Deborah and Klainberg, Marilyn, "Promoting Wellness Early: Shifting the Culture to Embrace Self-Care in Nursing" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 113.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/113
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-26
Promoting Wellness Early: Shifting the Culture to Embrace Self-Care in Nursing
Washington, DC, USA
Aim: Promoting an environment to embrace wellness and self-care. Does early education promote participation in self-care behaviors?
Background: According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), self-care is an ethical responsibility of all nurses. Provision 5 states: “The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health” (ANA 2015). It is apparent in the literature that although nurses are advocates for their patient’s health promotion, it does not necessarily translate into their own self-care behaviors. Nurses must promote a culture of self-care to reduces stress, burn out, and improve patient safety and the quality of care provided to patients. Self-care is a deliberate activity that must be practiced. Overall, nurses are leaving the bedside due to burn out, this negatively affects patient care, patient safety, retention and recruitment and institutional finances. Nurses that possess the knowledge & tools to participate in self-care activities when they are developing their professional identity are more likely to endure the physical and mental demands of the profession. Nurses must be alert to the signs of burnout and take care to prevent and address it.
Methods & Procedures: Using a convenient sample, over 90 students participated in a survey. In accordance with the AACN Essentials (2021) self-care competencies were developed. The nursing curriculum was infused with wellness, self-care and resilience strategies in the introduction courses, clinical courses and the transition to professionalism practice course. Additionally, all faculty were asked to provide self-care breaks to students during traditional and clinical courses. These include water breaks and short exercise breaks. Self-Care modules were developed on nutrition, sleep, exercise, meditation, socialization and mental well-being and were presented weekly. Students were surveyed weekly regarding their interest in the topic and success at achieving their self- care goal. Students were also required to join ANA Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation, develop a self-care plan and a resilience plan prior to graduation.
Results: Qualitative and Quantitative analysis reveal overall 96% of all participants changed behaviors and participated in some form of self-care weekly. 100 % of the participants found the self-care breaks restorative and improved focus in classes. The results of the weekly educational modules varied from 93% to 100% participated in self- care weekly. Overall data revealed improvement in knowledge and active participation in self-care activities.
Implication for Nursing: Nurse leaders, educators and administration must continue to shift the culture to one that prioritizes wellness, and encourage self-care engaging activities early in the development of the nurses’ professional identity. This can be accomplished in pre-licensure programs, in professional organizations, in the workplace during orientation and throughout the nurses’ tenure at an institution. Understanding work- life balance, self-care and resilience to protect the nurse’s health will impact patient outcomes, retention and reduce the rate of burnout. It is important to teach nurses to collectively promote and maintain wellness with self-care behaviors and work to create healthy environments that are supportive and respectful of the goal to engage in self-care behaviors.
Description
The nursing profession recognizes the need to create a shift in culture to promote wellness, build resilience, and prevent burnout. This presentation is designed to discuss and share evidence supporting the infusion and development of self-care competencies in nursing curriculum.