Abstract
The healthcare landscape has undergone profound transformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing critical vulnerabilities in workforce well-being and safety. Recent data indicate that 65% of nurses report high levels of stress and burnout, with 40% reconsidering their career choice, and 67% expressing concern over workload management. These challenges are compounded by staffing shortages, compensation concerns, limited organizational support, and a troubling rise in workplace violence—75% of nurses are likely to experience violence during their careers, with 77% reporting verbal abuse and 25% physical assault, contributing to 10,000 injuries annually and costing the industry $2 billion (Cross Country Healthcare, 2024; Kafle et al., 2022).
As nurse educators, we face an urgent imperative: to equip current and future nurses with the competencies to navigate and transform these environments. This presentation explores strategies for integrating Healthy Work Environment (HWE) principles into graduate nursing curricula, grounded in the six AACN HWE Standards, skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, and authentic leadership and aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials.
Through curricular exemplars, competency mapping, and innovative pedagogical approaches, including a virtual escape room simulation, this session will demonstrate how to design measurable learning experiences that foster leadership, resilience, and advocacy. Encouragingly, 82% of nursing students express optimism about their future in the profession, signaling a critical opportunity to embed HWE concepts that empower them to lead sustainable cultural change that promotes civility, psychological safety, and sustainable workforce engagement. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to operationalize HWE frameworks and cultivate environments that prioritize safety, civility, and professional fulfillment, ultimately empowering graduate-prepared nurses to lead from the classroom to the bedside.
Notes
Presenter notes available in attached slide deck.
Additional reference list included in attached slide deck.
References:
Cross Country Healthcare. (2024). Beyond the bedside: Examining nurse well-being and retention trends. https://www.crosscountry.com/beyondthebedside
Kafle S, Paudel S, Thapaliya A, Acharya R. Workplace violence against nurses: a
narrative review. J Clin Transl Res. 2022 Sep 13;8(5):421-424. PMID: 36212701;
PMCID: PMC9536186.
Lake, E. T., Sanders, J., Duan, R., Riman, K. A., Schoenauer, K. M. & Chen, Y. (2019). A meta-analysis of the associations between the nurse work environment in
hospitals and four sets of outcomes. Medical Care, 57 (5), 353-361.
Li, L. Z., Yang, P., Singer, S. J., Pfeffer, J., Mathur, M. B., & Shanafelt, T. (2024). Nurse burnout and patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2443059.
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43059
Sigma Membership
Alpha Alpha Epsilon
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Teaching/Learning Strategies, Faculty Development, Curriculum Development, Teaching, Learning Strategies, Teacher Development, Curriculum Planning, Work Environment
Recommended Citation
Chapman, Shanna D. and Nieves, Rose, "Reimagining HWE: Preparing Graduate Nurses for Cultural and Safety Transformation" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 10.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2026/presentations_2026/10
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2026
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
2026-04-22
Reimagining HWE: Preparing Graduate Nurses for Cultural and Safety Transformation
Washington, DC, USA
The healthcare landscape has undergone profound transformation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing critical vulnerabilities in workforce well-being and safety. Recent data indicate that 65% of nurses report high levels of stress and burnout, with 40% reconsidering their career choice, and 67% expressing concern over workload management. These challenges are compounded by staffing shortages, compensation concerns, limited organizational support, and a troubling rise in workplace violence—75% of nurses are likely to experience violence during their careers, with 77% reporting verbal abuse and 25% physical assault, contributing to 10,000 injuries annually and costing the industry $2 billion (Cross Country Healthcare, 2024; Kafle et al., 2022).
As nurse educators, we face an urgent imperative: to equip current and future nurses with the competencies to navigate and transform these environments. This presentation explores strategies for integrating Healthy Work Environment (HWE) principles into graduate nursing curricula, grounded in the six AACN HWE Standards, skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition, and authentic leadership and aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials.
Through curricular exemplars, competency mapping, and innovative pedagogical approaches, including a virtual escape room simulation, this session will demonstrate how to design measurable learning experiences that foster leadership, resilience, and advocacy. Encouragingly, 82% of nursing students express optimism about their future in the profession, signaling a critical opportunity to embed HWE concepts that empower them to lead sustainable cultural change that promotes civility, psychological safety, and sustainable workforce engagement. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to operationalize HWE frameworks and cultivate environments that prioritize safety, civility, and professional fulfillment, ultimately empowering graduate-prepared nurses to lead from the classroom to the bedside.
Description
Discover how innovative teaching methods—through curricular exemplars, competency mapping, and innovative pedagogical approaches—can integrate Healthy Work Environment standards into graduate education. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to strengthen leadership, professional safety, and professional well-being across academic and clinical settings.