How to Support Nursing Staff With Mental Health Resources

Nursing is a challenging profession. This fast-paced career often consists of working short-staffed, pulling long hours, enduring verbal abuse, and hearing the non-stop clamoring of call lights and machines. The toll weighs heavily on even the most experienced nurses, and the grueling pace often leads to anxiety, depression, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. We must support nurses with the adequate mental health resources that they deserve. Here is how you can help your nurses.  

Provide Mental Health Screening 

Early intervention and prevention programs are vital in managing the symptoms of mental illness and improving treatment outcomes. For nurses, you might consider anonymous online mental health screening to reach nurses who need help. Anonymous screenings reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues while raising awareness and helping organizations assist employees effectively.  

Wellness Counseling 

Wellness counseling, whether online or in-person, can provide nurses with the essential tools to reach their emotional and physical health goals. Wellness counseling can help nurses with a variety of mental health issues, weight loss, nutrition, smoking cessation, and stress reduction. Wellness counseling helps nurses find balance in their lives and gives them positive perceptions about life while being aware of and in control of their emotions.  

Online Therapists 

Thanks to technology, online therapy can provide nurses access to thousands of licensed therapists through web and mobile platforms. Nurses can send their dedicated therapists unlimited text, video, picture, and audio messages as well as participate in a live chat from anywhere at any time. Prescription fulfillment, adolescent therapy, and couples counseling are also available.  

Support Groups 

Support groups offer nurses the chance to connect with other nurses, process their feelings, and blow off some steam. These groups are a great place to learn mindfulness and emotional skills which they can apply to their professional and personal lives. Support groups for nurses are particularly useful when a trained facilitator such as a counselor or a social worker leads the group. Online support groups are popular and are easily accessible via the internet.  

Resources for Nurses 

Nurses are at high risk for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Nurses must know that they are not alone, and help is available.  Encourage nurses to be proactive when they experience mental health issues. Urge them to contact your organization’s employee assistance program (EAP), consider tele-mental health options through your insurance, and educate them about how to get help before they need assistance. The following are mental health resources geared explicitly toward nurses. 

• • American Holistic Nurses Association’s Holistic Stress Management website 
  • American Psychiatric Nurses Association Managing Stress & Self Care During COVID-19: Information for Nurses 
  • American Nurse article 9 Dimensions of Wellness 
  • HNHN blog Mental Health Help for Nurses 
  • Nursing Career Coach  specializing in nurse retention and new hire engagement 

Call Nursing Career Coach Today

Nursing Career COach is here to help you find the right solutions to improve your nurse retention. Contact us today to learn more.