No one can deny that nurses are experiencing and will continue to experience extreme amounts of stress, burnout, and anguish related to the Covid-19 pandemic. With all the documented evidence surrounding the impact of the pandemic on nurses, what are some solutions that can help to minimize the stress and burnout on nurses?
The team of Dorothy Brockopp et al, published an article titled “Covid-19, the lived experience of critical care nurses” in the July/August 2021 edition of the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA). Though the experiences of these critical care nurses are HEART WRENCHING, the silver lining for me was the influence of the unit leader. Nurses described how their leader demonstrated “continuous, unfailing presence’’ and that “presence” gave them a deep abiding sense of knowing that they were not alone.
I know that WE are all TIRED, WEARY and FRIED to the bone because I see it in your eyes! But what I do know is our nurses appreciate, welcome, and want leaders who demonstrate “continuous, unfailing presence” because that gives our nurses the assurance that they are NOT alone, they are respected, appreciated, and highly valued. My question for you, my fellow nurse leader is, how are you today, demonstrating your unfailing presence to your nurses? You may also want to read the Brockopp et al., article it is powerful.
References
Brockopp, D., Monroe, M., Davies, C. C., Cawood, M., & Cantrell, D. (2021). COVID-19: The Lived Experience of Critical Care Nurses. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 51(7/8), 374-378. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001032.