Wellbeing, Self Care and Resilience
Nursing staff need to look after themselves as well as others. If they lead an organisation or manage others the wellbeing of their staff is an added concern. Use this guide to find information resources about wellbeing, self care and resilience.
Last updated:
30/08/2022
COVID-19
RCN: COVID-19 (coronovirus)
RCN: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and your mental wellbeing
Key Resources
The King’s Fund (no date) Compassionate and inclusive leadership.
RCN advice guide: bullying and harassment
West M, Bailey S and Williams E (2020) The courage of compassion. Supporting nurses and midwives to deliver high quality care. London: King’s Fund.
Royal College of Nursing (2015) Stress and you: a guide for nursing staff. London: RCN.
Royal College of Nursing (2016) Improving patient outcomes by improving staff health and wellbeing. London: RCN.
RCN: Healthy workplace, healthy you
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This resource supports employers and RCN representatives to improve working environments. It also supports nursing staff to lead healthy lifestyles so they can maintain their physical and mental wellbeing.
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Trades Union Congress (TUC): Work and suicide
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A guide to prevention for trade union activists
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Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS): Mental health in the workplace
Health and Safety Executive: Stress at work resources
NHS: Moodzone
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Whatever you need to know about coping with stress, anxiety or depression, or just the normal emotional ups and downs of life, the NHS Moodzone is here to help. It offers practical advice, interactive tools, videos and audio guides to help you feel mentally and emotionally better.
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Reading Well: Books on Prescription
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Helps you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using self help reading. The scheme is endorsed by health professionals and supported by public libraries.
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We would like to thank the RCN Counselling Service for their input into the development of this subject guide.
Books
Allen B and Fidderman H (2019) Your health at work: an indispensable guide to physical and mental wellbeing. London: KoganPage.
Ashton D, Ripman J, and Williams P (2017) How to be a nurse or midwife leader. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell. -
Chapter 3 covers maintaining resilience for the nurse leader and the teams they manage.
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Battye A (2022) Self-care for allied health professionals: from surviving to thriving. London: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.
Chambers C and Ryder E (2018) Supporting compassionate healthcare practice: understanding the role of resilience, positivity and wellbeing. London: Routledge.
Drayton M (2021) Anti-burnout: how to create a psychologically safe and high-performance organisation. Milton: Taylor and Francis.
Gribben M, McLellan S, McGirr D and Chenery-Morris S (2017) How to survive your nursing or midwifery course: a toolkit for success. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Hasson G and Butler D (2020) Mental health and wellbeing in the workplace: a practical guide for employers and employees. Newark: John Wiley & Sons.
Hughes R, Kinder A and Cooper C L (2018) The wellbeing workout: how to manage stress and develop resilience. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Kuipers S (2021) The thriving giver: 7 principles for health professionals and caregivers to enhance self-care and prevent burnout. Tadley: Practical Inspiration Publishing.
Mealer M (2019) Coping with caring: a nurse’s guide to better health and job satisfaction. Milton: Productivity Press.
Parry S (2017) Effective self-care and resilience in clinical practice: dealing with stress, compassion fatigue and burnout. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Traynor M (2017) Critical resilience for nurses: an evidence-based guide to survival and change in the modern NHS. London: Taylor and Francis.
Traynor M (2019) Stories of resilience in nursing: tales from the frontline of nursing. Milton: Taylor and Francis Group.
West M A (2021) Compassionate leadership: sustaining wisdom, humanity and presence in health and social care. The Swirling Leaf Press.
Book subject searches
Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.
Journals
Use these links for details of journal articles on each topic.
Explore
RCN Events video on demand: Overcoming isolation and loneliness in nursing
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Marie-Therese Massey, Chair of the RCN General Pracitice Nursing Forum, highlights the effects of isolation and loneliness associated with nursing in non-traditional settings. Register online for free access to this video.
Open RCNevents.tv
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Sibylla Parkhill
Editor of this guide
RCN Library and Archive Service
Page last updated - 30/08/2022
