National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being
The capacity and well-being of the U.S. health workforce has been under threat for years by an epidemic of burnout, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this systems issue. Now more nurses, physicians, and state and local public health department employees than ever are considering leaving their professions.
Recognizing that the function of the U.S. health system is at stake, the NAM released theÌýNational Plan for Health Workforce Well-BeingÌýin October 2022 to drive collective action toÌýstrengthen health workforce well-being and restore the health of the nation.Ìý
NAM Collaborative and founding partners have announced March 18 as the annual, national Health Workforce Well-Being (HWWB) Day
Details and resources on how health and other leaders, policymakers, health workers, patients and families can participate in HWWB Day, as well as take further next steps in the movement, are available at: nam.edu/HWWBDay
Take the next step and join our health workforce well-being movement
The NAM invites health organizations and other key actors to join an inaugural cohort of Change Makers in affirming their commitment toÌýPriority Area 6: institutionalizing health worker well-being as a long-term value.Ìý
Priority Areas
The National Plan calls on multiple actors – including health care and public health leaders, government, payers, industry, educators, and leaders in other sectors – to help drive policy and systems change. SeeÌýgoalsÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýrelated resources in the following priority areas to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities.
1. Create and sustain positive work and learning environments and culture
Transform health systems, health education, and training by prioritizing and investing in efforts to optimize environments that prevent and reduce burnout, foster professional well-being, and support quality care.Ìý
Goal 1ÌýCulture of well-being is integrated into program operations, human resource management, services, and curricula.
Goal 2ÌýSettings are diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive.
Goal 3ÌýIncreased retention and decreased turnover of health workers.
Goal 4ÌýLeadership recognizes negative impacts of health worker burnout and fosters a culture of well-being.
Goal 5ÌýAccountability standards and best practices for well-being are adopted.
Related Resources:
Advance Organizational Commitment
- White Paper:Ìý
- ¸é±ð±è´Ç°ù³Ù:Ìý
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- Case Example:ÌýWorkplace Wellness Champions: Lessons Learned and Implications for Future Programming
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- Recognition Programs:
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Strengthen Leadership Behaviors
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Discussion Paper:Ìý
Conduct Workplace Assessment
- Overview of Established Tools:ÌýValid and Reliable Survey Instruments to Measure Burnout, Well-Being, and Other Work-Related Dimensions
- Infographic/Assessment Tool:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
Cultivate a Culture of Connection and Support
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Case Study:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
2. Invest in measurement, assessment, strategies, and research
Expand the uptake of existing tools at the health system level and advance national research on decreasing health worker burnout and improving well-being.
Goal 1ÌýBurnout and well-being of health workers and learners, and the drivers of workplace stress, are routinely measured.
Goal 2ÌýA national commitment is made to invest in research, strategies, and partnerships to improve health worker and learner well-being.
Related Resources:
Conduct Workplace Assessment
- Overview of Established Tools:ÌýValid and Reliable Survey Instruments to Measure Burnout, Well-Being, and Other Work-Related Dimensions
- Tool:Ìý
- Tool:Ìý
- Tool:ÌýWellness Culture and Environment Support Scale
- Calculator:Ìý
- Discussion Paper:ÌýA Pragmatic Approach for Organizations to Measure Health Care Professional Well-Being
- Discussion Paper:Ìý
- Survey Findings:Ìý
Strengthen Leadership Behaviors
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Perspective:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
3. Support mental health and reduce stigma
Provide support to health workers by eliminating barriers and reducing stigma associated with seeking services to address mental health challenges.
Goal 1ÌýThe mental health workforce is strengthened with increased numbers of practitioners.
Goal 2ÌýAdequate mental health services are available, easily accessible, confidential, dignified, paid for, and health workers and learners are encouraged to use them.
Goal 3ÌýStigma and barriers are reduced for health workers and learners to disclose mental health issues and utilize mental health services.
Goal 4ÌýHealth workers and learners do not experience unnecessary punitive actions when seeking mental health services.
Goal 5ÌýAccess to mental health resources is correlated with improved health worker well-being.
Related Resources:
Cultivate a Culture of Connection and Support
- Organizational ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Organizational ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Organizational Graphic:Ìý
- Organizational ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Organizational ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:ÌýAt the Heart of the Pandemic: Nursing Peer Support
- Organizational ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Individual Support ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Individual Support ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Resource Compilation:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
4. Address compliance, regulatory, and policy barriers for daily work
Prevent and reduce the unnecessary burdens that stem from laws, regulations, policies, and standards placed on health workers.
Goal 1ÌýTime spent on documentation is reduced to provide more time for meaningful professional activities and personal well-being.
Goal 2ÌýPolicies address hybrid, virtual, and in-person workflows to facilitate work-life integration and responsive patient care.
Goal 3ÌýPrior authorization requirements are reimagined in a manner that places a focus on supporting quality patient care while also reducing unnecessary burden on health workers.
Goal 4ÌýRequirements are streamlined for health workers to comply with regulations and policies.
Goal 5ÌýInterstate practice is simplified and virtual services are easy for health workers and patients to use.
Related Resources:
Conduct Workplace Assessment
- Tool:Ìý
Enhance Workplace Efficiency
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Calculator/³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
Examine Policies and Practices
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Framework:Ìý
- Policy Considerations:Ìý
- Policy Action Items:Ìý
- Initiative:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
5. Engage effective technology tools
Optimize and expand the use of health information technologies that support health workers in providing high-quality patient care and serving population health, and minimize technologies that inhibit clinical decision-making or add to administrative burden.
Goal 1ÌýHealth IT is user friendly and affordable, and meets standards co-designed with users.
Goal 2ÌýHealth IT is interoperable across disciplines and platforms to enhance team-based care and continuity of care.
Goal 3ÌýTechnology innovations improve both patient care and workload of health workers.
Goal 4ÌýTechnologies facilitate increased personal connections with patients.
Goal 5ÌýThe use of technology is understood and established as an enabler to streamline care.
Related Resources:
Enhance Workplace Efficiency
- Calculator/Guide: Team Documentation:Ìý
- Webinar:Ìý
- Case Study:Ìý
- Case Study:Ìý
- Commentary:Ìý
- Framework:Ìý
Strengthen Leadership Behaviors
- Webinar:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
6. Institutionalize well-being as a long-term value
Ensure COVID-19 recovery efforts address the toll on health worker well-being now and in the future, and bolster the public health and health care systems for future emergencies.
Goal 1ÌýHealth worker and learner well-being are prioritized, reflected in, and operationalized in strategic plans and core values.
Goal 2ÌýThe effects of COVID-19 on the well-being of the health workforce are addressed.
Goal 3ÌýA strong and coordinated national public health infrastructure has a thriving public health workforce.
Related Resources:
Cultivate a Culture of Connection and Support
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Organizational Best Practices:ÌýAt the Heart of the Pandemic: Nursing Peer Support
- Organizational Graphic:Ìý
- Overview of COVID-19 Resources by Roles:Ìý
Advance Organizational Commitment
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:ÌýWellness with COVID: Contagious Strategies to Promote Pharmacy Well-Being
- Brief:Ìý
- Discussion Paper/³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Fact Sheet:Ìý
Strengthen Leadership Behaviors
- Compilation:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
- Strategies:Ìý
- Discussion Paper:Ìý
- ³Ò³Ü¾±»å±ð:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
7. Recruit and retain a diverse and inclusive health workforce
Promote careers in the health professions and increase pathways and systems for a diverse, inclusive, and thriving workforce.
Goal 1ÌýThe size and composition of the health workforce reflects the demand and diversity of the U.S. population.
Goal 2ÌýThe health system retains health workers who have personal caregiving responsibilities.
Goal 3ÌýHealth care environments are person-centered and safe for health workers.
Goal 4ÌýHealth workers have the infrastructure to support their work to improve population health.
Goal 5ÌýHealth workers and learners are inspired and equipped to meet the challenges of caring for the nation.
Related Resources:
Examine Policies and Practices
- Strategies:Ìý
- Survey:Ìý
Strengthen Leadership Behaviors
- Discussion Paper/Action Items:Ìý
- Discussion Paper/Action Items:Ìý
- Discussion Paper:Ìý
For additional resources, visit the NAM’sÌýResource Compendium for Health Care Worker Well-Being.
New Video Series
Health Leaders Operationalize National Plan
The NAM is pleased to share short videos from health leaders on the critical need to advance health workforce well-being. Get inspired by how leaders across the health sector are using the National Plan to cultivate a movement to optimize care providers’ well-being.
Call to ActionÌýÌý
The National Plan builds on the foundation of six years of research and collaboration among NAM’s network of 200 organizations committed to reversing trends in health worker burnout. The National Plan is intended as a tool for all actors to take further evidence-based steps to improve the health system, with evaluation and accountability.
Improving health worker well-being is a shared responsibility that requires collective action by all actors of the U.S. health system and those who influence health. Together, we can support a coordinated national movement for health workforce well-being. The NAM looks forward to working with change makers to set commitments and support efforts to take up the National Plan.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected].
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
