Senior Lecturer explores the resilience of nurses in Wales

Senior Lecturer Judith Benbow, Cardiff University, School of Healthcare Sciences is exploring the concept of resilience among nurses in Wales as the focus of her RCN Wales funded PhD, with the ultimate aim of improving the health and wellbeing of nurses and so, in turn, their patients.

The starting point for the research project is a recognition of the challenges faced by nurses today, including patient demand and sicker, more infirm patients, paralleled with increased productivity demands and workloads as a result of financial constraints. RCN Wales Professor of Nursing Research, Professor Daniel Kelly and Dr Aled Jones, School of Healthcare Sciences are supervising the project. With advice from Professor Andy Smith, School of Psychology.

Judith Benbow said 'Nursing can be a hugely rewarding job, and considering the challenges and demands that can come from caring for sick and vulnerable people, nurses can be incredibly resilient.'

'I’m interested in how nurses develop strategies to help them cope positively with the demands of their work, and how this can be applied more widely to help alleviate stress and enable nurses to provide excellent patient care.'

'My project will listen to the voice of Welsh nurses to help reveal the subtle organisational factors that shape standards of care.'

'A questionnaire is available for all registered nurses in Wales to complete to help with the project. As the questions are intended to encourage self-reflection participants may choose to use this learning activity as counting towards their NMC revalidation evidence.'

The ultimate aim of this study will inform practice, education, policy and research of what works well and what could work better; in order to develop the resilience of nurses in Wales and benefit the health and wellbeing of nurses and so their patients.

Please use the following links to complete the questionnaire and help inform this important piece of research:

• English
• Cymraeg

If you require further information, or to request a paper copy of the questionnaire, please contact Judith Benbow at benbowja@cf.ac.uk or 02920687694.