Well-Being in Home Healthcare Nurses: A Quality Improvement Project

Home healthcare agencies, like other healthcare organizations, continue to face challenges with nurse burnout. Improved well-being has been shown to reduce burnout and support nurse retention. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to enhance nurse well-being through the introduction of a structured well-being bundle. The bundle included three low-cost, evidence-based strategies: breathing exercises, gratitude training, and a self-selected spiritual reading or practice. Sixteen home health nurses participated in this 6-week pre- and post-intervention project. The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), a validated and reliable tool, was used to measure changes in well-being. Nurses attended a virtual training session on how to use the three interventions. Weekly reminders and a mid-point check-in email were sent to support continued engagement. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in well-being scores following the intervention. Qualitative feedback from three participants indicated plans to continue using the strategies beyond the project period. Participants described the interventions as simple, practical, and easy to incorporate into their workday. Findings suggest that a well-being bundle with simple, evidence-based strategies may support nurse well-being in home healthcare. Given the ongoing challenges of burnout, especially in independent care settings, this approach offers a practical way to support nurses. Future projects with larger samples are recommended.