Well‐being in acute care nurse managers: A risk analysis of physical and mental health factors

Abstract

Nurse managers have experienced tremendous stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to negative psychological outcomes. Positive professional well-being is a construct that can be promoted to mitigate poor psychological outcomes and burnout in nurses. Little is known about the health, healthy behaviors, effects of stress on homelife, and well-being of nurse managers in the United States (U.S.). The aims of the study were to explore nurse managers' well-being related to self-reported stress and health perceptions and habits. A sample of 80 (41% response rate) nurse managers responded to a cross-sectional web-based survey sent via email in a southwestern U.S. 13-hospital system. Nurses answered 39 quantitative questions about demographics, well-being (9-item Well-Being Index [WBI]), perceptions of stress affecting homelife, and perceptions of health and health-related behaviors. Mean WBI (2.9 [2.7]) indicated risk for poor psychological outcomes. Managers (75%) reported stress from work affected their personal lives and a decline in overall health during the pandemic. Most (80%) reported burnout and emotional problems. Nurse managers had 8.1 times increased risk of poor WBI scores if stress from work affected their personal life than if they reported no spillover stress into their personal life (OR = 8.1, 95% CI [2.6, 25.0]). Findings from this study add a nuanced understanding of nurse managers' well-being. The strongest risk factor for poor WBI scores was stress levels affecting personal life. Interventions to improve well-being in nurse managers are needed. Limitations are the convenience sampling, limited geographic location, and response rate of <50%. Further research is needed to support nurse managers in stress reduction and development of boundaries that prohibit the spillover effect of workplace stress. Organizations may consider a combination of administrative support and changes as well as provision of on-the-job training of interventions that support individual well-being.