BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF INTENSIVE CARE UNIT NURSES

Abstract

This paper will identify best-practice recommendations to help nurses better cope with demands of the field, an implementation plan, and an evaluation of the implementation process. This paper explores whether or not nurses working in the intensive care unit (ICU) experience reduced psychological well-being due to aspects of their job such as high mortality rates, ethical dilemmas, and stress. In the world of healthcare, the demand for nurses is at an all time high. However, retention rates of bedside nurses are a direct threat to this demand. The low retention rate of newly licensed registered nurses remains an ongoing challenge not only for the institution but for the quality of care provided to the patients. In 2017, the turnover rate for bedside registered nurses ranged from 6.6% to 28.7%, with a turnover rate for critical care nurses in 2017 of 16.4% (Colosi, 2018). The articles presented in this paper examine the psychological well being of ICU nurses regarding levels of compassion fatigue and burnout and further discuss the effect that high incidences of stress, high mortality rates, ethical dilemmas, and pressure on the nurses to provide their best care have on the nurse’s well-being.