Coaches From CCL Volunteer 1,400 Hours of Virtual Coaching for Nurses During Pandemic, Increasing Resilience and Leadership Skills

Challenge

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a tremendous toll on many. No group has encountered more stress and challenge, however, than health and healthcare professionals charged with keeping the rest of us healthy and alive.

As public health mobilized to respond and hospitals struggled to handle an influx of patients, nurses sustained physical and mental exhaustion that many experts believe may have long-term effects on their overall wellbeing.

Nurses were desperately in need of support in order to navigate complex leadership challenges, maintain resilience, and lead themselves and their teams through the crisis. To fend off burnout and continue pushing through the challenges, nurses needed strategies for coping, staying centered, building resilience, and leading with integrity.

Solution

In April of 2020, one of the Center for Creative Leadership’s adjunct coaches, Lanny Moldauer, spearheaded an initiative to provide pro bono coaching to nurses facing the COVID-19 crisis head on. Over 100 CCL coaches volunteered their time to provide confidential coaching services to nurses of all levels and sectors, with sessions guided by the nurses’ unique needs and goals.

The initiative involved several large nursing networks, including the American Nursing Association (ANA), the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), NorthStar Network, NurseTRUST, and many more.

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Many of the nursing organizations promoted the  complimentary coaching services on their member websites, encouraging nurses of all levels to participate and receive the support that would help them lead themselves and their teams through the crisis.

As nurses submitted their requests, they were matched with a CCL coach and given the opportunity to schedule ongoing coaching sessions that fit their needs, with no specified end date.

Results

Research shows that nurses who are well provide better care for patients. In an industry that was challenged with burnout before the pandemic, any intervention to support resilience and wellbeing has the power to create positive ripple effects across health and healthcare.

A study by the American Nurses Foundation found that among nurses who indicated they intend to leave their current position, top reasons included work negatively affecting their health and wellbeing (47%) and insufficient staffing (45%).

By the Numbers

The coaching sessions were highly regarded by the nurses who participated, with many reporting the insights they garnered from the sessions having a profound impact on their ability to push through the extremely difficult days of the pandemic. Most of the participating nurses were in leadership positions, and the coaching not only helped them to navigate their own way, but also to guide their teams through the physical and emotional stressors they were experiencing.

One of the challenges of this type of service is publicizing the offer among nurses in order to encourage uptake. CCL’s strong brand reputation, experience serving nurses in leadership programs, and research-backed methodologies contributed to the success of this initiative with the nursing organizations who participated. Over a year into the pandemic — and as the first stage of this coaching initiative begins to taper off — CCL is exploring new ways to support nursing organizations into the future.

Participants Say