Building resilience among rural and remote nurses in Queensland, Australia

Abstract Aim This study evaluated a workplace resilience intervention involving registered nurses working in rural and remote settings in Queensland, Australia. Background The nature of nursing work provides a range of challenges to the psychological well-being of nurses. To address these challenges, research in the area of building resilience to enhance psychological well-being among nurses is growing rapidly, although few studies have investigated these phenomena in rural and remote settings. Design/methods The study implemented and evaluated a Mindfulness Self-Care and Resiliency (MSCR) program delivered to registered nurses (N = 32) working in rural or remote locations, to enhance workplace resilience. Registered nurses who attended the program were invited to evaluate the program via a semi-structured telephone interview. Results/findings Qualitative analysis showed that most nurses found the MSCR program valuable and relevant in terms of learning new knowledge and skills to help build resilience to stress in the workplace. Conclusion The MSCR intervention was received positively by the registered nurses who participated and may have broader application across the rural healthcare sector.