Practice Tip of the Week | Connection and Support: Enhancing Connectivity in the Workplace

By Stacy McColl, MSN, RN, CARN 

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and for the second week of the month the theme is:  Support Saves Lives: Connecting People to Crisis Supports and Resources.

Nursing is an incredibly rewarding profession and without the necessary workplace support nursing takes a toll on one’s wellbeing. Nurses face unique workplace challenges and stressors including high patient workloads, patient acuity, the potential for trauma, and time sensitive demands creating conditions that unaddressed lead to burnout, mental health and substance use conditions. Nurses are not unique in their need to connect with others, and with increasing job demands connection and support are an area of intervention that is important in the workplace.  Investing in nurse connection and support to increase nurse wellbeing by decreasing nurse burnout is crucial and increases positive practice outcomes.  

Nurse burnout rates continue to be a concern. Nurse burnout, according to Wood et al., "rates of nurse burnout are above 40%” (Wood et al., 2022) also determined a relationship between burnout and social support. The research by Wood determined that reducing loneliness improved nurse wellbeing. Making connections that are supportive at work have implications that are lifesaving. Burnout is a serious issue and creates concern for life-threatening situations.  

Implications of burnout are considered with what is already known regarding nurses and the increased risk of suicide in the nursing population compared to the general population.  Nurses’ risk of suicide is already two times that of the public (Davis, 2021). Compounding that risk is nurses who experience burnout also have a twofold increase in suicidal thoughts and are less help-seeking than nurses that were not experiencing suicidal ideation (Firth, 2021). Nurses that need help the most are not connected to support or resources. One program that anticipates this lack of help-seeking and is one model of support, connection, and sharing of resources is the Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN). 

TPAPN offers peer support to each nurse participating in the program. In addition, TPAPN offers nurses an opportunity to volunteer as a peer support partner (PSP).  TPAPN PSP’s connect with each other to form a community where PSP’s share resources and support each other in addition to each PSP connecting to and supporting a nurse participating in the TPAPN program. According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, social connection "may be one of the strongest protective factors against self-harm and suicide” (Murphy, 2023). Connection is protective and peer support is an authentic and supportive relationship. Please contact TPAPN if you are interested in volunteering to become a PSP. TPAPN continues to work with healthcare organizations and academic institutions to educate nurses and employers about available offerings. TPAPN strives to create meaningful engagement and connection with employers, schools, nurses, and stakeholders across the state to increase awareness of mental health and substance use conditions in nursing with an emphasis on the value of support for nurse wellness. 

Despite increasing efforts within healthcare organizations and academic institutions to raise awareness and embrace evidence-based practice strategies to strengthen meaningful connections and support systems, challenges remain. To truly make an impact it requires good faith efforts of every nurse to support one another and create a culture of positive change. Shifting to a positive culture begins with incorporating practical strategies into daily practice. 

Practical Strategies 

• Foster an environment of open communication 
  
• Embrace the mantra of “it is ok to not be ok” 
  
• Create opportunities for connection  
  
• Consider mentorship and peer support with your system 
• Create opportunities for team activities
• Wellness offerings on the job site
• Reach out to the colleague you are concerned about
• Be prepared to provide all resources that are available
• Find a safe neutral place to have a conversation
• If you have noted a “warning sign” that concerns you that your colleague may be considering suicide, do not hesitate to ask them
• Really listen
• Be present

Listening is powerful and connection is transformative. We heal in relationships. Nurses are excellent listeners and it is incumbent on each nurse, when possible, to reach out and connect to a fellow nurse in distress. Listening makes a difference. Give the individual your full attention, focus, and check back in. Ask for resources to be posted in break rooms. Make connection, support, and linking to resources easy.  

If you are experiencing or with someone experiencing an emergency, treat as emergency. If imminent life-threatening behavior call 911 or 988! 

TPAPN is also able to serve as a resource and provides educational and practical support for healthcare systems and academic systems across Texas and nurses and nursing students. Please contact and connect with us at tpapn@texasnurses.org. 

Please join us each Tuesday for the rest of September from noon to 1 p.m. CT for our Saving Lives series, offering free CE for suicide prevention awareness month. Learn more about the program here. 

REFERENCES

Davis, M. A., Cher, B. A. Y., Friese, C. R., & Bynum, J. P. W. (2021). Association of US nurse and physician occupation with risk of suicide. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(6). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0154 

Firth, S. (2021, October 22). Burnout a risk factor for suicidal thoughts in nurses. Www.Medpagetoday.Com. https://www.medpagetoday.com/nursing/nursing/95217 

Frangieh, J., Hughes, V., Edwards-Capello, A., Humphrey, K. G., Lammey, C., & Lucas, L. (2024). Fostering belonging and social connectedness in nursing: Evidence-based strategies: A discussion paper for nurse students, faculty, leaders, and clinical nurses. Nursing Outlook, 72(4), 102174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102174 

Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. In PubMed. US Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf 

Wood, R. E., Brown, R. E., & Kinser, P. A. (2022). The connection between loneliness and burnout in nurses: An integrative review. Applied Nursing Research, 66, 151609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2022.151609