UnitedHealth Group's philanthropic arm, The United Health Foundation, said Dec. 1 it is partnering with the American Nurses Foundation on a three-year, $3.1 million program aimed at fighting burnout among nurses.
The new program is inspired by a similar program developed for the military and will specifically target nurses of color and those under 35. It is designed to identify and reduce stress issues, educate about and normalize those issues, and provide support from colleagues — the results will then be developed into a national campaign for 50,000 nurses nationwide.
ANF will pilot the new program across acute, primary and long-term care facilities that represent over 15,000 nurses. Participating health systems include Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare Health, Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, Mobile-based University of South Alabama Health Hospital, and Newark, N.Y.-based Wayne Health Care.
"Nurses have played a vital role throughout this critical period and we're committed to ensuring they have the resources they need to deliver care across the country," said Mary Jo Jerde, RN, and senior vice president of the UnitedHealth Group Center for Clinician Advancement.
A recent ANF survey found that half of nurses are considering leaving the profession. A 2021 study from the Journal of Patient Safety showed that hospitals that invest in nurse burnout reduction programs see nurses stay about 20 percent longer compared to nurses at facilities without similar programs.