Other Titles
Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has developed a Healthy Work Environment (HWE) National Collaborative, a two-year education, mentorship, and co-learning program launched in April 2024. This initiative, the first of its scale, aims to create a lasting positive impact on the work environment. It guides hospital-based teams in creating HWEs, leading to improved quality indicators, job satisfaction, retention, and organizational outcomes. The primary purpose of this presentation is to highlight the benefits of participating in a national collaborative to implement and ensure the sustainability of HWEs. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on enhancing the work environment. The presentation will address the increased demand for HWE projects and how the collaborative can effectively meet this need. It will describe a hospital’s ongoing journey in AACN’s HWE National Collaborative, emphasizing the critical role of interprofessional collaboration, regional coaches, and stakeholder engagement in ensuring the sustainability and success of HWE improvement projects. The HWE initiative began with an in-person kickoff meeting, which set the foundation for aligning goals, expectations, and strategies among all participants. This underscored the importance of collaboration, highlighting how healthcare professionals can work together to achieve common goals, essential for the successful implementation and sustainability of HWE projects. Additionally, the collaborative provides the benefit of regional coaches who offer guidance, support, expertise and mentorship to local teams through the use of implementation science. Coaching ensures best practices are followed and teams remain motivated and focused. Sustainability is a critical aspect, with strategies discussed to optimize it through continuous program support, ensuring long-lasting benefits of HWE projects. This presentation will showcase how evidence-based practices can be translated into real-world applications, equipping teams to implement and sustain a healthy work environment. It will also provide a comprehensive overview of the start of a collaborative effort to improve the work environment in healthcare settings by fostering interprofessional collaboration, leveraging regional coaches’ expertise, advocating for active participation, and focusing on sustainability.
Notes
References: American Association of Critical Care Nurses. (n.d.). Healthy work environments national collaborative - AACN. https://www.aacn.org/nursing-excellence/healthy-work-environments/hwe-national-collaborative
Blake, N. (2023). Igniting the passion in our profession using the AACN healthy work environment standards. AACN Advanced Critical Care, 34(4), 367–369. https://doi.org/10.4037/aacnacc2023330
Sigma Membership
Kappa Zeta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Interprofessional Initiatives, Mentoring, Coaching, Implementation Science
Recommended Citation
Bovino, Emily E. and Stafford, Amy, "Implementation of the Healthy Work Environment Standards Through AACN’s National Collaborative" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 85.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/85
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
Implementation of the Healthy Work Environment Standards Through AACN’s National Collaborative
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) has developed a Healthy Work Environment (HWE) National Collaborative, a two-year education, mentorship, and co-learning program launched in April 2024. This initiative, the first of its scale, aims to create a lasting positive impact on the work environment. It guides hospital-based teams in creating HWEs, leading to improved quality indicators, job satisfaction, retention, and organizational outcomes. The primary purpose of this presentation is to highlight the benefits of participating in a national collaborative to implement and ensure the sustainability of HWEs. In the wake of the COVID pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on enhancing the work environment. The presentation will address the increased demand for HWE projects and how the collaborative can effectively meet this need. It will describe a hospital’s ongoing journey in AACN’s HWE National Collaborative, emphasizing the critical role of interprofessional collaboration, regional coaches, and stakeholder engagement in ensuring the sustainability and success of HWE improvement projects. The HWE initiative began with an in-person kickoff meeting, which set the foundation for aligning goals, expectations, and strategies among all participants. This underscored the importance of collaboration, highlighting how healthcare professionals can work together to achieve common goals, essential for the successful implementation and sustainability of HWE projects. Additionally, the collaborative provides the benefit of regional coaches who offer guidance, support, expertise and mentorship to local teams through the use of implementation science. Coaching ensures best practices are followed and teams remain motivated and focused. Sustainability is a critical aspect, with strategies discussed to optimize it through continuous program support, ensuring long-lasting benefits of HWE projects. This presentation will showcase how evidence-based practices can be translated into real-world applications, equipping teams to implement and sustain a healthy work environment. It will also provide a comprehensive overview of the start of a collaborative effort to improve the work environment in healthcare settings by fostering interprofessional collaboration, leveraging regional coaches’ expertise, advocating for active participation, and focusing on sustainability.
Description
This presentation will highlight American Association of Critical-Care Nurses groundbreaking Healthy Work Environment National Collaborative. This two-year initiative, the first of its scale, aims to create a lasting positive impact on the work environment through education, mentorship, and interprofessional collaboration. Learn how evidence-based practices can be translated into real-world applications, equipping teams to implement a healthy work environment through implementation science.