From Firestarter

to Fire

Extinguisher-

Developing

Resilience as a

Nurse Leader

Jill Benns, RN, MSN, NEA-BCDirector of Clinical Education

Parkland Hospital and Health System

Role of the Nurse Leader

Change Agent

Conductor

Manager

Mentor

Accountant

Therapist

First Responder

Teacher

And… other duties as assigned.

Nature Vs. Nurture

“The negative screams at you, but the

positive only whispers…”Dr. Barbara Fredrickson

• Our DNA utilizes some negative emotion-

mechanisms to help us pass our traits on to offspring:

– Ability to worry about the future

– Remember bad things that happened to us

– Anticipate new things that could go wrong

These help us with survival, but not with happiness.

http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/barb-fredrickson

The Next BIG Idea

Everyone is talking about it

Two Pillars of Resilience

Emotional Thriving

• I have a chance to use my

strengths everyday at work

• In my work I am always

challenged to grow

• I feel like I am thriving at my

job

• I feel like I am making a

meaningful difference at my

job

• I am often pleasantly

fascinated by things that

happen at my job

Emotional Recovery

• I always bounce back quickly

after difficulties

• I always find a solution when

something unforeseen

happens

• I can adapt to events in my life

that I cannot influence

• My mood reliably recovers

after frustrations and setbacks

Resiliency Equals:

http://app.ihi.org/FacultyDocuments/Events/Event-2930/Presentation-16154/Document-12720/Presentation_ML4_PART_2_Positive_Rounding_Sexton.pdf

Gratitude

Where leaders get it wrong:

Gratitude isn't vertical!

Take five minutes to write

to someone and explain

something they did, how it

impacted you and the

benefits you received.

https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/the-simple-way-gratitude-helps-us-build-resilience/

Cultivating Awe

An Awe-Full Five Minutes a Day

• Practice mindfulness in 5 minutes of

silence

• Look at a picture of something you find

“amazing”

• Listen to an awe-inspiring

song

• Awe can be kinesthetic

Joy- Three Good Things

• Journal

• Bedtime prayers

• WISER App

• Web Based Tools

• Whiteboard

• Have your S.O.

challenge you

What Now?

Share your JOY

Permission to Pause

Assess for Burnout/ Decreased ResilienceThe nurse well-being tool (Mayo)

Institute Happy MinutesWISER, Web Tools, Journal

For more information please contact me via

email:

Jill.benns@phhs.org

or

Visit me on LinkedIn