PHC6937 Resiliency and Compassion Programs for Critical Care Nursing Staff

CONNECT is a campaign proposed to support critical care nursing team members by proposing to them methods to embrace evidence based resiliency practices.  The World Health Organization recognized on May 28, 2019 a mental state of the "burnout phenomenon" that plagues the job force but has its highest prevalence in the nursing job force with nearly 20% turnover rate annually.  Consequently, burnout can lead to a worsening occupational hazard - secondary traumatic stress or compassion fatigue - that mimics the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and can severely affect a nursing professional's life.  This has a negative impact financially on healthcare organizations but also affects the care that patient's receive in situations where nurses affected by this phenomenon, and the potential for subsequent errors and poor care rendered. The campaign aims at two resiliency based goals for the nursing teams: 1) to connect within themselves and 2) to foster connections in their environment.  Self-care has been shown to improve overall wellbeing for individuals in any circumstances and by advocating for oneself and being confident to do that, yields great results for individuals in the general population, but is even more important for those who are in “giving” professions.  The campaign elaborates methods by which self-care practices can be incorporated in the caregiver’s routines, elicits leadership support on their units and advises the nurses to annually and routinely see EAP counselor for guidance. Fostering healthy relationships with their mentor and those who can provide positive outlets for the negative experiences they are faced with in their work life, is incredibly crucial to maintaining a balance for critical care nurses but don’t always come so easy, especially those who might have affects from adverse childhood experiences.  In addition, leadership and mentors checking in regularly with the team member and providing them with professional development strategies and addressing conflict immediately will assist this campaign in having its most beneficial impacts for prevention of burnout or compassion fatigue.  Attached below are my materials created for this campaign.  The poster will be posted on the units and the infographic will be placed on the communication boards and on the team portal webpage.  The video will be used to gain buy in from leadership teams, sent to teams via email, placed on the webpage portal and it will also be played at orientation for new team members.  Resiliency based principles utilized for critical care nurses are effective at prevention of burnout and compassion fatigue, an awful occupational health hazard for those who care for the sickest patients in the acute care setting.  I encourage you to utilize these principles for your own critical care teams and empower your teams to rise above the tragedy that occurs within the walls of their workplace with resilience.