Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Background: Nurse well-being is a critical factor influencing patient safety and the sustainability of the nursing profession. Organizations that foster nurse well-being report improved staff retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Low nurse well-being can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, job dissatisfaction, and high turnover. A nursing evidence-based practice and research council at a pediatric hospital conducted a concept analysis of nurse well-being, which guided the development of a mixed-methods study protocol to examine and enhance nurse well-being. This study explores the lived experiences of clinical nurses regarding wellness in an inpatient pediatric hospital, with the aim of informing the development of an intervention to promote nurse well-being.
Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach was used. Clinical nurses from a renal pediatric unit participated in focus groups addressing well-being, workload, belonging, recognition, autonomy, development, leadership, and teamwork. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method was applied to identify themes. Findings from the focus groups will guide the development of an intervention, which will be evaluated quantitatively in a subsequent study phase.
Results: Ten clinical nurses participated in focus groups ranging from 48 to 212 minutes. Data analysis is ongoing; however, initial themes highlight leadership support, workload, and peer relationships as central to wellness experiences. These insights will shape an intervention for future testing.
Discussion: Initial study findings focus on the importance of leadership and tailored support systems in fostering nurse wellness. Limitations include single-site focus and ongoing analysis. Despite this, the qualitative data provide actionable insights for promoting wellness among inpatient nurses.
Notes
References:
Altman M, Delgado S. The importance of nurse well-being and how to achieve it. Crit Care Nurse. 2021;41(5):69-71. doi:10.4037/ccn2021319
Melnyk B, Tan A, Hsieh A, et al. Critical care nurses' physical and mental health, worksite wellness support, and medical errors. Am J Crit Care. 2021;30(3):176-184. doi:10.4037/ajcc2021301
Foster S. Supporting nurses' wellbeing. Br J Nurs. 2020;29(20):1223. doi:10.12968/bjon.2020.29.20.1223
Munro CL, Hope AA. Improving nurse well-being: The need is urgent and the time is now. Am J Crit Care. 2022;31(1):4-6. doi:10.4037/ajcc2022603
Niinihuhta M, Häggman-Laitila A. A systematic review of the relationships between nurse leaders' leadership styles and nurses' work-related well-being. Int J Nurs Pract. 2022;28(5):e13040. doi:10.1111/ijn.13040
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Pilot/Exploratory Study
Keywords:
Stress and Coping, Workforce, Well-being, Employee Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being
Recommended Citation
Arnston, Annabelle; Asheton, Ora; Brooks, Malorie; and Van Orne, Julie, "Exploring the Lived Experiences of Nurse Well-Being Among Clinical Nurses in the Inpatient Setting" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 27.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/27
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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
2026-07-22
Exploring the Lived Experiences of Nurse Well-Being Among Clinical Nurses in the Inpatient Setting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: Nurse well-being is a critical factor influencing patient safety and the sustainability of the nursing profession. Organizations that foster nurse well-being report improved staff retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Low nurse well-being can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, job dissatisfaction, and high turnover. A nursing evidence-based practice and research council at a pediatric hospital conducted a concept analysis of nurse well-being, which guided the development of a mixed-methods study protocol to examine and enhance nurse well-being. This study explores the lived experiences of clinical nurses regarding wellness in an inpatient pediatric hospital, with the aim of informing the development of an intervention to promote nurse well-being.
Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach was used. Clinical nurses from a renal pediatric unit participated in focus groups addressing well-being, workload, belonging, recognition, autonomy, development, leadership, and teamwork. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method was applied to identify themes. Findings from the focus groups will guide the development of an intervention, which will be evaluated quantitatively in a subsequent study phase.
Results: Ten clinical nurses participated in focus groups ranging from 48 to 212 minutes. Data analysis is ongoing; however, initial themes highlight leadership support, workload, and peer relationships as central to wellness experiences. These insights will shape an intervention for future testing.
Discussion: Initial study findings focus on the importance of leadership and tailored support systems in fostering nurse wellness. Limitations include single-site focus and ongoing analysis. Despite this, the qualitative data provide actionable insights for promoting wellness among inpatient nurses.
Description
Focus: Clinical
Status: Ongoing Work/Project
This is a PechaKucha presentation, and the slide deck contains images instead of text. To compensate for this, the presenter notes are available in the attached slide deck. To see the notes in Adobe Acrobat, go to Tools > Comment or look at your Layers Panel. If the notes were saved as comments or layers, you can toggle them visible.
Summary: Nurse well-being is a critical factor influencing patient safety and the sustainability of the nursing profession. This exploratory sequential mixed methods study utilizes focus groups with clinical nurses to gain insight into their experiences and perceptions of wellness.