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Wellbeing program trial for NWMH mental health nurses

Wellbeing program trial for NWMH mental health nurses

A new evidence-based resilience program is being trialled at NorthWestern Mental Health (NWMH) to support the mental health and wellbeing of mental health nurses.

Enrolled and registered mental health nurses at NWMH are eligible to participate in the study, which includes the Promoting Resilience in Nurses program. The aim is to provide the skills to positively adapt to stress and adversity, manage conflict, and improve relationships.

Nurses who have participated in the program so far have reported its usefulness in both their personal and work lives:

‘I am actually less stressed out because I know how to cope with my stress level and resolve my burnout. I’m feeling more confident in my work.’

‘The skills are transferable for all situations, not just relating to work situations.’

‘I catastrophise things easily. More so at home than at work. Since the program, I’ve become more aware of it and that’s when I start to seek out my friends or others to stop it.’

‘When I’m supervising other staff, I can draw on the program and challenge them to rephrase a thought or to view it from a different lens. I think they’ve appreciated it, to look at things differently.’

The trial, which has been funded by the Australian Research Council, is being led by Professor Kim Foster and the Mental Health Nursing Research Unit at NWMH, in partnership with the ANMF (Vic Branch), HACSU, and the Victorian Department of Health.

For further information, email Adrian Laughlin.

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