Implementing Wellness Initiatives to Improve Professional and Personal Well-being of; Nursing Academia Faculty and Staff

Problem Statement: University surveys revealed increased stress and burnout among nursing academia faculty and staff. Goal/Aim: The goal of this project was to determine whether integrating wellness initiatives would lead to reduced stress and burnout and improved professional and personal well-being. Actions Taken: A Wellness Committee was developed in the College of Nursing. Individuals on this committee were designated as Wellness Champions and partnered with the Resiliency Center to propose development of pilot projects designed to promote health and wellness among faculty and staff. The committee sought to address all dimensions of wellness and adopted the Socio-Ecological Model of Health for guidance. The committee aligned priorities with monthly college-wide meetings and annual retreats and included specific health promotion activities such as chair massages, mindfulness training, fasting blood sugar monitoring, a "steps to wellness" moving initiative, and a monthly book club. Summary of Results: Initial anecdotal feedback has been positive, with participants noting less stress and improved professional and personal well-being. The Wellness Committee is dedicated to continuing a culture of wellness and cultivating a supporting and healing environment that encourages all staff and faculty to prioritize self-care. Next steps are to distribute a follow-up survey to assess effectiveness of initiatives.