The Florida Center for Nursing (FCN) has created a free program to combat the burnout nurses face throughout their careers.
Nurses encounter overwhelming demands in their professional roles, putting them at risk for burnout. Their responsibilities often extend around-the-clock, requiring them to provide care to people who are often at their worst, or in times of crisis.
Instead of studying the problem, FCN Executive Director Rayna Letourneau wants to start working towards solutions — starting with the Emotional Vaccines program.
“It’s critical that we find a way to allow our nurses to flourish and thrive in the profession,” said Letourneau.
Florida nurses who sign up will receive 2–3 minute videos via text message once a week for six months. The videos will contain evidence-based tips and strategies to support their well-being.
There are more than 440,000 nurses in Florida, and 20,000 nursing students graduate each year. Letourneau is hoping they all participate.
The pilot program includes assessing participant locations across the state and gauging their overall satisfaction with the program. The effectiveness of the messages delivered will also be evaluated.
“We want to be able to utilize that data to make it available for even more nurses and future nurses in the state of Florida, and then potentially look at the national and or global impact that a program like this can have,” said Letourneau.
The center, which is located at the University of South Florida, says that burnout can have consequences such as low job satisfaction and a low level of commitment, which reduces the quality of care and worsens Florida’s nursing shortage.
Based on a Florida Hospital Association analysis in 2021, the state faces an overall shortage of 59,000 nurses by 2035.
“I’ve been a nurse for more than 20 years and the challenges that I faced at the beginning of my career are very similar to the challenges that nurses are still facing,” said Letourneau.
She added that if a healthy work environment isn’t provided for the state’s nurses, they are at risk to leave their patients and the workforce altogether.
“We really hope to be a piece of that complex solution to be able to move us towards a healthier workforce,” said Letourneau.
Current and future nurses can sign up here for the Emotional Vaccine program.
Copyright 2024 WUSF 89.7
