Our Stories, Our Strength: An Evidence-Based Practice Initiative to Enhance Healthcare Culture Through Storytelling

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated burnout, isolation, and disconnection among healthcare workers, leading to national calls to address workplace mental health. Storytelling has emerged as an effective strategy to build belonging, resilience, and connection. In response, a pediatric healthcare system launched an evidence-based storytelling initiative rooted in narrative medicine and visual symbolism.

To strengthen workplace culture by fostering connection, psychological safety, and meaning through structured storytelling.

Developed in partnership with Dear World, the intervention integrated guided reflection, peer sharing, and professional photography. Initially focused on staff, the initiative expanded to include adolescent and young adult patients. Implementation included phased rollout, train-the-trainer models, onboarding integration, and multimedia engagement. Evaluation methods included pre- and post-surveys and organizational metrics, with the Connection During Conversations Scale (CDCS) used to assess effectiveness across different session formats.

Over 2 years, 1818 participants attended 60 events. Significant improvements in perceived connection and belonging were observed (p < 0.001), with 94% reporting stronger connections to colleagues and 93% to organizational values. CDCS analysis of Year 2 participants (n = 148) demonstrated comparable effectiveness between full and abbreviated session formats, with slightly stronger outcomes in full sessions. As part of broader workforce engagement efforts, nurse turnover declined from 21% to 13%, contributing to $2.3 million in projected cost avoidance.

This scalable, low-cost initiative offers a sustainable model for rehumanizing healthcare. Its integration into orientation, leadership development, and wellness programs underscores its value in fostering connection, resilience, and retention across high-stress care settings.