Integrative Therapies Can stop the Nurse Turnover Hemorrhage in Your Workplace

Stress in healthcare organizations is not new, and I have known stress to be a continuous process in our medical systems. The environment can go from calm to chaos in seconds! Managing this stress is crucial to the well-being of healthcare workers.  

Recently, the burden on healthcare workers has become more significant with the pandemic effects, the opioid crisis, increased nurse turnover, and the overwhelming feeling of those who remain in the unit or department. Nurses and others face mental health challenges and burnout that have not been known or experienced. Suicide among female nurses has escalated at rates more significantly than the general public. This statistic is alarming, and family and colleagues are usually surprised by the occurrence.

Current Retention Strategies  Do NOT Show Respect to Nurses

Recent studies show that nurses (about 70%) have caregiving responsibilities outside of the work environment, including someone who is disabled, aging parents, or children. Often, scheduling practices look at a “body” to fill a need and don’t consider the “person” serving in a specific role.

Incentives, monetary gifts, and food are only working for short-term retention. Organizations focus on recruitment versus retention. Employee Assistance Programs provide counseling and stress management practices, but many find these resources cumbersome or ineffective to add to a busy lifestyle. Nurses need time and energy to make another appointment in an already hectic schedule; they must get to know someone they can trust to find balance. There are many reasons healthcare workers don’t want to reach out for assistance, including time, scheduling, concern with the confidentiality of their problem, and not feeling this is the “right” solution. 

Integrative Therapies Promote Nurse Retention and Team Cohesiveness

Research shows that if nurses believe management cares about them and they have emotional support, there is a greater tendency to remain in a department. Nurses of all ages and experiences wanted a sense of belonging and support in their setting. 

Healthcare staff can use integrative therapies to bring balance and calm chaos. Nurses and others can use these tools quickly and effectively for self-care. Management support and nurse leaders sharing these tools demonstrate sincere support for nursing staff to meet their physical and emotional well-being. Learning holistic tools AND obtaining contact hours is a bonus. 

Real Experiences with Integrative Therapies Lead the Way

Integrative therapy tools are beneficial in clinical settings. Quick tools such as breath work, visualization, and aromatherapy inhalation provide balance and can reduce the overwhelming feelings that occur during stress and chaos.  

These holistic therapies have brought calmness during stress, comfort in times of pain, energy with fatigue, and balance during the chaos. These modalities are effective in any setting, from a busy Emergency Center to home care settings. These integrative tools are adaptable and beneficial to all clinical settings and staff and include patients and families.

Success depends on management support and nurse leaders embracing the significance of empowering nursing staff with integrative tools to use for self-care. Leaders must lead the way for change if the nurse turnover hemorrhage is to heal.

This blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical, mental health, or healthcare advice.  Although Debra Reis is a Clinical Nurse Specialist licensed in the state of Michigan, she is not acting in that capacity here. Debra Reis is acting as a holistic educator and consultant, not as a licensed medical health professional or in her professional capacity as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any illness, medical condition, or mental or emotional condition. Working with us is not a guarantee of any results. Debra Reis, Wellness Services, LLC owns all copyrights to the materials presented here unless otherwise noted.