Forging the Inner Armor: A Review of Resilience-Building Interventions for Nurses to Mitigate Burnout and Promote Mental Well-Being
Abstract
Background: The nursing workforce globally is facing a crisis, with widespread burnout that threatens both mental health and the quality of care for patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened this problem, highlighting an urgent call for strategies that would offer protection. In this regard, psychological resilience-the ability to adapt to adversity-has been identified as a protective resource for the profession.
Aim: This review aimed to assess the efficacy of structured interventions for building resilience among nurses.
Methods: The analysis included an in-depth review of evidence from 40 studies published between 2015 and 2024 on various program types and their outcomes.
Results: The results show that resilience interventions, in particular multimodal programs, which combine mindfulness with cognitive-behavioral techniques and skills training, are effective. Indeed, these interventions consistently yield significant reductions in burnout, stress, anxiety, and depression, but at the same time significantly enhance resilience, psychological well-being, and job satisfaction.
Conclusion: The review concludes that individual-focused resilience training is powerful but insufficient. Its effectiveness depends on its embedding in wider, systems-level reforms that address the causes of workplace stress. What matters most for constructing and sustaining a resilient workforce is a two-pronged approach: evidence-based skill-building combined with genuine organizational support and structural change.
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References
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Authors
Copyright (c) 2024 Munaa Mulahi Gazi Alharbi, Nasrah Saadi Raga Alshammri, Afra Radi Hamad Alaglan, Mohammed Obaidallah Alshmmarl, Majed Aseed Rashed Alshammari, Maha Saeed Raja Rmal, Basmah Ghanem Rubayyi Alshammari, Ibrahim Khulaif Alshammari, Taghreed Hamoud Ali Alshammari, Ola Hamoud Ali Alshammari, Najah Hamoud Ali Alshammari
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