Developing System-Wide Strategies to Enhance Nurse Leaders' Well-Being: Insights From a Mixed-Methods Study

This study investigated the well-being of nurse leaders (NLs) and contributing factors that support or detract from their well-being.

Nurse leaders (NL) navigate complex responsibilities that impact patient outcomes, staff retention, and organizational culture. Decreased well-being among NLs can diminish emotional health, which can impact role effectiveness and increase the risk of turnover.

A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study at a large pediatric academic hospital combined the Mayo Clinic Well-being Index (WBI) (n = 115) and qualitative interviews (n=35).

Nurse leaders had significantly higher at-risk WBI scores than the national mean for "all nurses" (P = 0.003). Qualitative themes included individual resilience factors, leader factors, system factors, and the presence of an intentional alignment of a collective mindset. Barriers or gaps in these factors and mindset can diminish well-being.

Healthcare organizations need to improve resilience factors, incorporate trauma-informed practices, and normalize and enhance an authentic leadership culture to support wellness among NLs.