Nurse Managers Leading the Way: Reenvisioning Stress to Maintain Healthy Work Environments

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Drivers of stress also continue to challenge nurses, especially nurse managers, when it comes to establishing and sustaining healthy work environments (HWEs). Nurse managers have been handed the burden of managing the crisis not only operationally, but also mentally, emotionally, and even ethically and they may not be trained or prepared to take on the additional burden. Nurse managers’ most important duty is to look out for frontline staff. This article offers evidence-based guidance for nurse managers who are ready to accept this new set of responsibilities, build from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) HWE standards, tap into their own humanity, and make the experience of stress more productive as they lead frontline nurses during this crisis and beyond.

Objectives

Explain the value of identifying and responding to stress in a mindful way.
Identify role modeling health and well-being as key to achieving AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments
Identify three techniques to support incorporating nurse-centered stress care into practice.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must attend/view/read the entire activity and complete the associated evaluation to be awarded the contact hours or CERP. No partial credit will be awarded.

Disclosure

This activity has been reviewed by the Nurse Planner. It has been determined that the material presented here shows no bias. No conflicts of interest have been identified for any individual with the ability to influence the content of this activity. Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN or ANCC approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC's) Commission on Accreditation, ANCC Provider Number 0012. AACN has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the California State Board of Nursing (CBRN), California Provider number CEP 1036. This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hours.

AACN programming meets the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education contact hours for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting CE to fulfill continuing education requirements.