Enhancing well-being and resilience in oneself and in the nursing team

Nurses’ well-being and resilience are negatively affected by work pressures and unprecedented demand on the healthcare system, against a backdrop of underfunding and staff shortages. While it has been recognised that nurses’ well-being and resilience are important for high-quality of patient care, these concepts are not always well understood and the onus is often on individual nurses to maintain their well-being and develop resilience. Healthcare organisations, nurse managers and nurse leaders have a fundamental responsibility to support staff and develop a more resilient workplace. This article discusses the theoretical underpinnings of well-being and resilience and introduces two conceptual models – the Muchness Model and the availability and vulnerability framework – which can be used to support nurses’ well-being and resilience. It also presents individual, team and organisational tools and practices for enhancing well-being and resilience.