Addressing Mental Health in Nursing: Strategies to Boost Wellbeing in Both Nurses and Patients
Mental health plays a vital role in every aspect of healthcare. It determines how nurses and patients interact—and whether patients are receptive to nurses' recommendations. It also influences patient satisfaction and even job satisfaction among the nurses who treat them.
This can have a cyclical effect, with improved mental health boosting both nursing and patient outcomes. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true: As mental health suffers, so does quality of care, leading to worse bedside manner, more errors, and a whole host of other issues.
While mental health remains a major concern across the spectrum of healthcare, industry leaders and policymakers are finally beginning to dedicate the resources needed to tackle this ongoing problem. Meanwhile, awareness is on the rise among both nurses and patients, who are eager to enact personal practices capable of preventing burnout.
To highlight the importance of mental health in nursing, below we reveal some of the most significant concerns and promising opportunities. Read on to discover exciting developments in work-life balance and mental health training for nurses.
Understanding Mental Health in Nursing
In nursing, the concept of mental health is both nuanced and far-reaching. This should be a priority for healthcare professionals and their patients. Strong mental health in nurses has a positive impact on patients and vice versa, with widescale improvements in patient well-being potentially limiting compassion fatigue in nursing.
Mental Health Challenges Faced by Nurses
Nurses face numerous mental health challenges. While some are predisposed to issues such as anxiety or depression, workplace concerns can contribute to mental health difficulties — especially when nurses deal with large caseloads or receive minimal support.
The data surrounding nurses and mental health is certainly concerning. A 2023 Mental Health and Wellness survey conducted by the American Nurses Foundation indicates that two-thirds of nurses experience significant stress, with frustration and exhaustion also frequently reported. Nearly 20% of nurses believe that they are either "not emotionally healthy" or "not at all emotionally healthy."
These claims are backed by additional research that suggests substantial levels of diagnosable conditions like depression, along with problematic coping mechanisms such as alcohol abuse.
The good news? Although nurses are prone to mental health challenges, they remain passionate about their work and willing to put in the effort to improve their thought processes and coping strategies. This commitment—combined with widescale measures discussed below—could give way to dramatic improvements in self-care and work-life balance for nurses.
The Link Between Nurse Well-Being and Patient Care
Simply put, nurses are more effective when they prioritize mental health. Research suggests a strong and concerning correlation between poor mental health and self-reported medical errors. Ranging from medication errors to inaccurate charting, these mistakes could potentially prove devastating.
Even if they avoid errors, nurses who struggle with mental health find it more difficult to establish meaningful relationships with their patients. They may be perceived as disconnected or even uncaring. This can reduce patient satisfaction and even adherence to treatment plans.
The Role of Mental Health in Patient Care
Mental health influences every aspect of the nursing experience, including patient care. Patients, like nurses, are susceptible to many mental health challenges, which in turn can affect diagnoses, treatment strategies, and bedside interactions. However, nurses are well aware of these challenges and eager to take extra steps to support their patients' emotional well-being.
Identifying Mental Health Needs in Patients
Unfortunately, some patients downplay issues such as stress or anxiety, in part due to perceptions of mental health stigma in healthcare and the broader community. Thankfully, though, today's nurses enjoy access to robust mental health assessment and screening tools that can help them pinpoint and address key concerns.
Even without diagnosable issues, attention to detail is a must; nurses should communicate with patients and observe their behavior (such as eye contact, posture, or even digestive problems) to determine whether they need to adjust their approach. Though tailored care plans may be required, all patients can benefit from open communication and a supportive environment.
Supporting Patients With Mental Health Conditions
Targeted assessments and diagnoses are crucial, but these alone will not improve patient outcomes. They must be accompanied by strong treatment plans and comprehensive services that help patients manage their symptoms while also feeling continually comforted and supported.
Additional support may be needed as patients deal with other health concerns, too, including acute illnesses along with chronic issues such as heart disease or diabetes. Mental health concerns may impact how other health challenges are addressed — which medications can safely be prescribed, for example, or whether patients require referrals to psychiatrists or other mental health professionals.
In general, nurses can do their part by actively listening to patients' concerns and offering compassionate, genuinely helpful responses. There should never be any question as to whether nurses care. Empathy and respect will make patients far more willing to honestly share their concerns. This could also make patients more open to following nurses' suggestions.
Strategies for Nurses to Support Their Own Mental Health
While nurses should feel supported by their employers and their communities, they should prioritize their own mental health as well. This means taking active steps to address issues such as stress and burnout. These efforts would ideally be built into nurses' lifestyles, with time purposefully carved out each week to ensure that nurses can relax.
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
Many nurses feel overwhelmed but are so accustomed to hustling that they may not realize they are starting to struggle. If they understand the signs of burnout, however, they are more likely to identify these issues in themselves and to seek remedies before these problems spiral out of control. Concerns indicative of burnout include:
- Feeling cynical about patients and about nursing in general.
- Physical exhaustion, including a general, persistent sense of fatigue.
- A strong sense of dread prior to nursing shifts or relief after they end.
- Difficulty empathizing with patients.
- Feeling mentally distanced from nursing, which can manifest in numbness or withdrawal.
Self-Care Practices for Nurses
Self-care represents more than a health and wellness buzzword. Yes, the occasional bubble bath or weekend getaway can be rejuvenating, but true self-care for nurses involves a mentality of personal advocacy. This could mean setting boundaries with employers or patients—or even stepping down from jobs when it becomes clear that employers do not prioritize nurse burnout prevention.
Another essential component of self-care is mindfulness for nurses. This practice encourages nurses to remain fully present in the moment, impartially observing their own thoughts and physical sensations along with the surrounding environment.
Research suggests that mindfulness meditation can alleviate stress while boosting self-compassion. There are various ways to incorporate this into a busy workday, and while longer meditation sessions can add calm to a morning or evening routine, nurses also benefit from practicing mindfulness with five-minute sessions interspersed throughout the day.
Mental Health Resources and Support Systems
Today's nurses enjoy access to an ever-expanding range of mental health resources. We will touch on several employer-based resources below, but nurses should also be willing to turn to these options for insight and support:
- Crisis text line – Offered through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), crisis text lines provide valuable support during urgent situations. These are easily accessible; simply text “SCRUBS” to 741741.
- Moodfit – Recommended by the American Nurses Association (ANA), the Moodfit app can act as a valuable companion to therapy, helping users integrate mindfulness and other valuable practices into everyday life.
Mental Health Programs and Initiatives in Nursing
There is much to appreciate about the previously mentioned mental health resources for nurses, but these alone may not be sufficient sources of stress management or emotional support. Nurse burnout prevention should also encompass employer-based programs and even federal initiatives, designed to tackle the variety of concerns that underscore burnout in nursing.
Workplace Mental Health Programs
Healthcare leaders recognize the prominence of stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue in nursing. Additionally, they realize that, if these concerns are not proactively addressed, the effects could be devastating not only for the nurses suffering burnout but also for their patients. To that end, many now offer robust mental health resources.
Many nurses enjoy access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which help nurses complete assessments, receive referrals, and take advantage of short-term counseling or other offerings. EAPs have historically been underutilized—but due to diminishing mental health stigma in healthcare, many nurses are now willing to leverage these resources.
Training and Education on Mental Health for Nurses
Awareness represents a critical first step for addressing today's mental health concerns, yet some nurses struggle to identify the signs of trouble in themselves, in their patients, and even in fellow healthcare professionals.
This is increasingly built into continuous education for nurses, which aims to not only help nurses expand their clinical skill sets and delve into evidence-based practice but also help nurses develop strategies to facilitate healthcare stress management. Additional training can help nurses identify and respond to mental health challenges among patients.
In addition to mindfulness, nurses can benefit from implementing time management strategies such as prioritizing, cluster care, and hourly rounding. Many learn to implement these through experience, but targeted training can help limit the need to master such practices through potentially stressful trial and error.
The Future of Mental Health in Nursing
Although mental health has long been a point of concern for the healthcare industry, promising signs suggest that change is afoot—and that the nurses of tomorrow will receive the support they need. No single strategy can guarantee improved mental health, but a layered approach can make a world of difference.
Increased Awareness and Support for Mental Health in Nursing
Leaders in healthcare show an increased commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture in which mental health is a clear priority. Many of the workplace opportunities highlighted above have already been implemented by major healthcare employers, which increasingly build mental health awareness into workshops while also encouraging nurses to take advantage of EAPs.
With this greater commitment comes reduced stigma. This, in turn, can promote greater emotional support for nurses who, ideally, will extend empathy to one another while fostering a supportive workplace environment.
Policy Changes and Advocacy for Mental Health in Nursing
While grassroots efforts and employer initiatives are important, policy changes form the basis of long-term change. These can be pursued at both the state and federal levels. Nurses can be powerful advocates for these policies, banding together to ensure that, moving forward, the healthcare field provides tools and structures to enable stress management for nurses.
Speaking to the need for mental health advocacy, the ANA has drafted a Position Statement that highlights the importance of "recogniz[ing] and address[ing] nurses’ unique mental health needs."
Essentials highlighted by the ANA include "access to affordable mental health screenings and confidential mental health assistance and treatment," but with the caveat that using such resources should not place nurses' licensure or employment status at risk.
Take the Next Step Toward a Bright Future in Nursing
The nursing profession has long provided compelling opportunities to make a difference—but moving forward, this will also be a great option for those who prioritize their own health and wellness. The right college program can enhance these benefits and help future nurses build self-care into their everyday routines.
Establish your nursing skill set with Indiana Wesleyan University. Offering a deep dive into evidence-based practice, our degree programs help future nurses learn to advocate for themselves and find balance in their lives.
Consider enrolling in our pre-licensure nursing program, which promises thorough preparation for the hardworking nurses of tomorrow. Reach out to learn more about the exciting opportunities within the Indiana Wesleyan School of Nursing and Health Professions.
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