Investing in Well-being: A Hospital-Based Ethics Fellowship for Nurse Leaders

Abstract

Frontline nurse leaders often encounter ethically complex issues but may lack adequate formal training in ethics, communication, and leadership, hindering their ability to navigate these challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated moral distress, affecting leaders and staff and compromising nurse well-being and patient care. Ethics and leadership-focused professional development improves leaders' confidence and well-being and increases staff retention and engagement. These authors describe an adaptable, yearlong fellowship designed to increase ethics and leadership skills while reducing moral distress among frontline nurse leaders and their clinical teams.