American Nurses Foundation Launches National Mental Health and Well-Being Program
An Effective Program for Nurses, Created by Nurses, Provides Practical On-Demand Tools and Resources To Manage Workplace Stress
MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@ana.org
(October 10, 2024, SILVER SPRING, MD) – Today, the American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation), in partnership with the United Health Foundation (UHF), the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group, announced the official launch of the free curriculum, Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support, on World Mental Health Day.
Based on the Stress First Aid model, the Foundation developed the Nurse Well-Being program with a three-year, $3.1 million grant from the United Health Foundation in 2022 to support nurses in managing and recovering from stress and burnout. Early survey results show the program successfully mitigated burnout and stress:
- 28% decrease in burnout among nurses enrolled in the pilot program after six months
- 88% of nurses found the program model easy to use
- 86% of nurses approved and personally liked the program
- 90% of nurses found the program model fitting and suitable
The program was piloted within a diverse set of health care systems across the country, including Atrium Health Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; USA Health System University Hospital in Mobile, Alabama; BayCare Health System in Tampa, Florida; and Indiana University Health in Indianapolis.
“We are honored to work with the American Nurses Foundation to help bring this program to nurses across the country and to see how effective it has been during its pilot phase,” said Mary Jo Jerde, RN, senior vice president of the UnitedHealth Group Center for Clinician Advancement. “This new program is needed because healthy nurses lead to healthier communities, and help make the health care system work better for everyone.”
The full program curriculum is a free resource available to all nurses. It includes a comprehensive overview, a training guide for nurse leaders, an implementation guide, and the complete course, all of which offers continuing education credits for nurses. Initially designed as a peer-to-peer program, Nurse Well-Being has been adapted based on insights from pilot sites and focus groups. Now, it places special emphasis on training nurse leaders and developing their roles within the program.
The program’s impact is evident in its expansion beyond the initial pilot units. Fifty trained nurse champions have delivered the program to over a thousand nurses across 22 units at the four pilot sites. One pilot site is extending the program to the entire hospital, while another is expanding it to include the entire health system in 2025.
“We wanted to be thoughtful in the development of this curriculum and listen to the nurses who were piloting this program. It’s important to the Foundation to be intentional about creating meaningful resources that have lasting impact,” said Erin Gilfenbaum, program manager at the American Nurses Foundation. “After incorporating feedback in real time from our pilot site nurses, we developed a comprehensive and actionable well-being program that is both beneficial and resonates with nurses.”
The Nurse Well-Being curriculum stands out from other burnout reduction programs by transforming organizational culture. It removes the stigma associated with seeking mental health support and encourages earlier, more effective use of mental health resources. The program provides nurses with a shared language to communicate their stress level using a color-coded system. It also guides nurse leaders in having tough conversations about mental health, identifies strategies for building healthy nursing teams, and emphasizes the value of caring for oneself first.
The full program curriculum is now available for free to all nurses on the Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support training website. Please visit to explore the free resources available to manage and improve your mental health and well-being.
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About American Nurses Foundation
American Nurses Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association (ANA), with the mission to transform the nation’s health through the power of nursing. The Foundation supports research, education, and scholarships, which improve health, wellness, and patient care. For more information visit www.nursingworld.org/foundation
About the United Health Foundation
Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, the United Health Foundation works to improve the health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities. The United Health Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and health care. To date, the United Health Foundation has committed more than $800 million to programs and communities around the world, including a $100 million commitment to help diversify the health workforce. To learn more, visit UnitedHealthFoundation.org