The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2024 www.ohca.com 20 Nursing in community-based care settings, such as assisted living and memory care, can be incredibly rewarding. Ask any nurse what keeps them in this setting, and they will talk about their love and passion for this unique population of residents. But, like all specialties, working in community-based care (CBC) has its own unique set of challenges. Nurses in CBC often work in isolation as the sole nurse for an entire community of residents and staff. Once on the job, nurses must navigate unique and unfamiliar setting- based regulations. Limited opportunities for CBC-specialized training, education, and support can further make nurses feel like an involuntary lone wolf in this field. Some CBC nurses may relate to being an “accidental leader”—someone who didn’t set out to lead, but who possesses the necessary knowledge and skills, and are then given the responsibilities of a leader without sufficient training or support. This unique set of challenges in CBC creates a very real potential for nurse burnout. In a 2022 survey of Oregon nurses, 97% reported a work-related stressor, with the highest reports of stress coming from nurses in long-term care and home health/hospice (Oregon Center for Nursing, 2022). Recognizing this frequency for nurse stress and burnout across settings, in 2023 the Oregon State Board of Nursing made the decision to include nurse wellness in their mission statement. The statement now reads, “The Oregon State Board of Nursing protects the public through regulatory excellence and promoting the wellness of nursing professionals.” It is a small addition that makes a huge statement: nurse wellness IS public safety. Indeed, the well-being of nurses and care workers is paramount to the sector’s quality of care and longevity. Nurse Mindfulness and Well-being By Alayna Amrein, Communications Coordinator, NurseLearn SPONSORED CONTENT Alida Raynor RN, NurseLearn Enhanced Program alumna, poses with her NurseLearn Mentor, July Lumague-Test at the OHCA Annual Convention. From a desire to combat the root causes of stress and burnout specific to CBC settings—nurse isolation, navigating unique regulations, and limited CBC specialized education—an online learning platform for CBC nurses, NurseLearn, was born. Two free learning programs are available through NurseLearn, the Enhanced Program and the Standard Program. The Enhanced Program equips Oregon- licensed nurses with the mentorship, CBC-specialized learning modules, and nurse community support needed to thrive in their role. The NurseLearn modules cover six topic areas vital to the success and well-being of CBC nurses in their role. Through the
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