Well-Being in Uncertain Times

Our community has been dealing with uncertainty in nearly every aspect of their careers and personal lives, and many nurses may be experiencing mental and emotional stress as they care for acutely and critically ill patients during a global pandemic. While definitions of well being are individual, we’ve curated a range of AACN resources on topics that touch on diverse aspects of health and wellness that may be useful during times of stress or anxiety.

Access Helpful Resources

AACN offers resources to help you consider your own well being at the same time you are providing exceptional care for your patients and their families. The following resources suggest strategies that may inspire you along the way.

Daring to Find Joy and Meaning in Your Work
Finding joy and meaning in your work can be challenging. This session identifies approaches that you can implement today to help you and your team.
Mindfulness: Using Pause Principles to Enhance Your Nursing Practice
The pause principle concept and small but effective mindful activities build personal and organizational resilience that is most needed during turbulent times.
Sometimes It Is Okay to Laugh
Humor does not lighten the gravity of the pandemic but can provide an outlet. Learn more about the role of therapeutic humor as a coping skill.
The Importance of Nurse Well-being and How to Achieve It
How can you work on supporting your own well-being in a way that is actually manageable? Learn from experts on the importance of well being and how to achieve it.
Resiliency and Emotional Intelligence
Resiliency in a time of crisis is crucial. This session identifies systematic solutions to minimize burnout and maximize resiliency.
Actionable Steps to Support a Team in Crisis
Review five actions that leaders should take to support team members now. These evidence-based actions can be initiated within three months and build a foundation for a long-term well-being strategy.

The Well-Being Initiative

AACN has partnered with the other leading nursing organizations to provide free tools and resources to support your mental health and well-being.

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Connect With Your Peers

As a community of exceptional nurses, we bond through shared experiences. As nurses become the storytellers, it helps bolster resilience, find gratitude and celebrate one another. Explore these resources to hear from your friends and share your story.

AACN’s Peer Support Community

The Peer Support Community is a place where AACN members can engage with their peers, share their experiences, support each other and get advice from other nurses who share valuable insights on topics such as PTSD, moral distress, self-care, resilience and burnout.

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DearWorld

Discover the stories behind the masks. AACN partnered with DearWorld.org to capture the experiences and stories of nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read Their Stories

Read Nurse Stories of Well-Being

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Surviving a Bad Day
Three compassionate nurses have made it their mission to help colleagues prepare for and get through the tough times and thrive in their practice.
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The Power of Compassion
It took a fatal car accident involving her younger brother to jumpstart the nursing career of this critical care clinical educator.
Explore
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Self-Care Through Social Media
A social media influencer uses humor, creativity and wit to ignite online dialogue with other nurses about the importance of keeping a healthy lifestyle.
Explore

Access Expert Knowledge

AACN staff and guest authors share diverse topics of interest related to wellness and well being.

Share Gratitude During Thanksgiving and All Year
Learn about the many benefits of practicing gratitude at home and at work by using one of the several strategies, including starting a gratitude journal or implementing a gratitude huddle.
A Focus on the Positive Fuels Resilience and Prevents Burnout
This blog discusses the many ways we can fuel our resilience and become more optimistic while working under incredible stress.
My Journey From Gratitude to Inspiration
In this blog, a nurse leader shares her journey as she found moments that connected her to her core purpose: meaningful connection.

Explore Organizational Resources

Creating a healthy work environment (HWE) enables nurses to provide the highest standards of compassionate care while being fulfilled at work. Learn more about AACN’s six HWE standards, conduct a free assessment of your unit and find the evidence-based resources needed to build and sustain an HWE.

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Advancing the Profession Through Advocacy

We use the strength of our community to advance the nursing profession and work with other organizations in coalition, lending our voice to advance nurses’ priorities. For this reason, we continue to advocate for action to address the personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage.

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Nurse Well-Being and Recognition Fund

The Nurse Well-Being and Recognition Fund provides a long-term source of restricted funding for initiatives that recognize nurses and those who support their work. Guided by the AACN Healthy Work Environment standard, Meaningful Recognition, AACN seeks to build global awareness of who nurses are, what they do and their unique contributions to the healthcare system. In the short term, these efforts offer an opportunity to recognize exceptional colleagues for their daily work as knowledgeable clinicians and leaders who are vital to delivering optimal care for patients and families.

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Access Help

Seeking help is a sign of strength and courage, as it shows awareness of the problem and a willingness to do something about it.

Moral Distress

“Recognizing Moral Distress … and What to Do About It” describes four key components to address moral distress.
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Seek Help

An emotional wellness initiative offers additional free mental health resources specifically for nurses.
Free Resources

Disclaimer:

  • We do not offer licensed mental health services. If you are in crisis, call 9-1-1 immediately for assistance.
  • If you need help right away or if you believe someone is at imminent risk of harming themselves, call the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). An additional resource may be the toll-free, 24-hour Substance and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).