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. 2025 Jan 1;55(1):32-39.
doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001525. Epub 2024 Dec 9.

Navigating Nurse Wellness in Rural America

Karen R Robinson  1 , Michelle Gierach, Abigail Gramlick-Mueller, Emily Smith, Deborah Hickman, Jordyn Holland, Martha Stow, Heather Tverstol, Samantha Bartelt, Becky McDaniel, Jennifer Wiik, Anna Kay Ferguson
Affiliations

Navigating Nurse Wellness in Rural America

Karen R Robinson et al. J Nurs Adm. .

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study's phase 1 was to determine the current wellness levels of RNs in rural America settings, including barriers to maintain and recommendations for wellness.

Background: Nurses are experiencing more anxiety and burnout currently than prepandemic. A review of literature revealed a gap in describing nurses' wellness and strategies to maintain wellness in rural American healthcare settings.

Methods: The Integrative Health and Wellness Assessment (IHWA) V2 2022 holistically measured participants' wellness. The survey was deployed in 2023 to 6989 clinical nurses, nurse leaders, and advanced practice nurses.

Results: The IHWA V2 2022 mean was 134.72. Significant findings included age, years of experience, and role. Barriers of insufficient time, work environment, and family responsibilities were identified. Recommendations involved the work environment, stress management, and healthy boundaries with suggestions to implement in rural settings.

Conclusion: Study findings can assist leaders to implement interventions that positively impact nurse wellness in rural settings. Interventions promoting wellness are essential for nurses to meet these same needs of their patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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