American Nurse Journal (ANJ)The Impact of Mental Health Resource Nurses

Four bedside nurses trained as Mental Health Resource Nurses reduced staff anxiety 73% and burnout 87% on a 24-bed medical-surgical unit over 8 months. The intervention addressed nurse burnout crisis where 62% of U.S. nurses reported increased workloads during COVID-19, with >50% experiencing emotional exhaustion among those with ≤10 years experience.

Study Design: Quality improvement project with pre/post surveys of 45 staff members (27 RNs, 13 CNAs, 5 support staff) measuring mental health ratings, anxiety levels, and role perception using Likert scales and chi-squared analysis (P <0.05 threshold).

🔬 KEY CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Magnitude of Impact:

• Staff reporting “somewhat bad” anxiety dropped 73% (34.88% to 9.52%, P=0.048)
• “Somewhat bad/bad” mental health ratings fell 87% combined (20.46% pre to 2.22% post, P=0.028)
• Support for initiative surged from 33% to 91% when asked if program helps morale (P<0.001)
• Desire for MHRN availability jumped from 52% to 92% (P=0.0002)

Role Components Driving Results:

• Mental Health First Aid certification for four volunteer bedside nurses (costs covered by unit education budget)
• Monthly check-ins, stress management workshops, peer recognition program, mental health newsletters
• Integration into daily operations as paid role, not extra duty—MHRNs provided support during regular shifts

Sustainability Factors:

• 90% of staff want role expanded organization-wide post-implementation
• Relies on volunteer interest—passion for peer support identified as essential for continuation
• Addresses financial impact: nurse burnout linked to 3.3% U.S. nursing workforce decline 2020-2022

💼 PRACTICE APPLICATIONS

• Advocate for Mental Health First Aid certification funding within professional development budgets for interested bedside nurses.
• Integrate MHRN duties into regular shifts rather than adding responsibilities as the role requires protected time to be effective.
• Establish monthly check-ins, peer recognition programs, and unit-specific mental health education as core MHRN functions.
• Address confidentiality concerns proactively through ongoing communicatio. In the study, initial staff hesitation about professional reputation impact was a key barrier.
• Monitor self-reported mental health metrics quarterly using validated Likert scales to track intervention effectiveness and justify continuation.

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