Abstract
Abstract Text: Purpose: To investigate previous efforts and to identify promising workplace strategies to improve professional wellbeing among nurses.
Background: There is a mental health crisis in nursing that contributes to high rates of intention to leave (1,2). Systems-based approaches that go beyond the individual are crucial (2,3). But little is known about workplace-based approaches that can improve nurse mental health (1,2).
Methods: We deductively and inductively analyzed 1317 nurses’ survey-based free-text descriptions of strategies used by their workplaces to improve professional wellbeing. Details about the Michigan Nurses Study have been published previously (4). We compared responses from nurses who plan to leave their position to responses from nurses who don’t.
Results: The most common response was that the workplace had made no effort. Nurses who intended to leave reported no effort more often (40.8%) than nurses who didn’t (24.9%). The second most common response was increased compensation (e.g., bonuses, incentive pay); the third was improved facilities and other benefits (e.g., break rooms, free food and beverages). Self-scheduling and team huddles were also identified by multiple participants as helpful.
Conclusions: Zero effort from workplaces may contribute to nurses’ intent to leave. Approaches that improve professional wellbeing include increased compensation and enhanced facilities. Further research into self-scheduling and daily huddles, which have previously shown promise in boosting staff satisfaction (5), may identify implementation practices best suited to enhancing nurse wellbeing.
Notes
References: 1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Impact Wellbeing Campaign Insights. 2023 Oct 12. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/impactwellbeing/campaign-insights.html
2. NIOSH [2024]. Impact Wellbeing™ Guide: Taking action to improve healthcare worker wellbeing. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2024-109, (Revised 07/24) https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2024109revised072024.
3. National Academy of Medicine. 2024. National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being. V. J. Dzau, D. Kirch, V. Murthy, and T. Nasca, editors. NAM Special Publication. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26744.
4. Medvec BR, Marriott DJ, Khadr L, Ridge LJ, Lee KA, Friese CR, Titler MG. Patterns and Correlates of Nurse Departures From the Health Care Workforce: Results From a Statewide Survey. Med Care. 2023 May 1;61(5):321-327. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001837. Epub 2023 Apr 6. PMID: 37022850; PMCID: PMC10080544.
5. Pimentel CB, Snow AL, Carnes SL, Shah NR, Loup JR, Vallejo-Luces TM, Madrigal C, Hartmann CW. Huddles and their effectiveness at the frontlines of clinical care: a scoping review. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Sep;36(9):2772-2783. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06632-9. Epub 2021 Feb 8. PMID: 33559062; PMCID: PMC8390736.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Workforce, Stress/coping, Policy/advocacy
Recommended Citation
Ridge, Laura J.; Norrod, Paul; Titler, Maria; Medvec, Barbara; and Friese, Chris, "Improving Workplace Wellbeing: What Made a Difference?" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 8.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/8
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Improving Workplace Wellbeing: What Made a Difference?
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Abstract Text: Purpose: To investigate previous efforts and to identify promising workplace strategies to improve professional wellbeing among nurses.
Background: There is a mental health crisis in nursing that contributes to high rates of intention to leave (1,2). Systems-based approaches that go beyond the individual are crucial (2,3). But little is known about workplace-based approaches that can improve nurse mental health (1,2).
Methods: We deductively and inductively analyzed 1317 nurses’ survey-based free-text descriptions of strategies used by their workplaces to improve professional wellbeing. Details about the Michigan Nurses Study have been published previously (4). We compared responses from nurses who plan to leave their position to responses from nurses who don’t.
Results: The most common response was that the workplace had made no effort. Nurses who intended to leave reported no effort more often (40.8%) than nurses who didn’t (24.9%). The second most common response was increased compensation (e.g., bonuses, incentive pay); the third was improved facilities and other benefits (e.g., break rooms, free food and beverages). Self-scheduling and team huddles were also identified by multiple participants as helpful.
Conclusions: Zero effort from workplaces may contribute to nurses’ intent to leave. Approaches that improve professional wellbeing include increased compensation and enhanced facilities. Further research into self-scheduling and daily huddles, which have previously shown promise in boosting staff satisfaction (5), may identify implementation practices best suited to enhancing nurse wellbeing.
Description
An analysis of 1,317 descriptions by nurses of their workplaces’ efforts to improve well-being found the most common response was no effort. A larger proportion of nurses who intended to leave reported no effort than those who did not (40.8% vs 24.9%).