NIOSH, a division of the CDC, has launched Impact Wellbeing to aid hospital leaders in enhancing workplace policies and practices for healthcare workers. The initiative targets reducing burnout, promoting help-seeking, and strengthening professional wellbeing. It offers practical resources, including a worker well-being questionnaire and leadership guidance. Additionally, it addresses intrusive mental health questions on hospital credentialing applications. Impact Wellbeing is supported by the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan of 2021 and aims to build on the legacy of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.
NIOSH, a CDC division, introduces Impact Wellbeing, aiming to bolster healthcare workplace policies and practices. This initiative focuses on curbing burnout, fostering help-seeking behaviors, and fortifying professional well-being among hospital staff. Offering tangible resources such as a worker well-being questionnaire and leadership guidance, it also confronts intrusive mental health inquiries in hospital credentialing applications. Funded by the 2021 COVID-19 American Rescue Plan, Impact Wellbeing seeks to extend the legacy of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. Its goal is to support hospital leaders in creating a nurturing environment for healthcare workers, aligning with evolving needs and challenges.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has introduced a new initiative known as Impact Wellbeing. This campaign is designed to offer evidence-based resources to hospital leaders, enabling them to enhance workplace policies and practices. These improvements are aimed at reducing burnout, encouraging a culture of seeking help, and bolstering the overall professional well-being of healthcare workers.
Dr. John Howard, the Director of NIOSH, emphasized the challenging work conditions faced by healthcare professionals even before the pandemic, which often led to burnout. These conditions include long working hours, exposure to hazardous risks, high-stress levels, and excessive administrative burdens. He stressed the importance of supporting hospital leaders in making organizational changes that can alleviate burnout and promote the well-being of their staff.
Impact Wellbeing provides practical steps for hospital leaders to implement quality enhancements, establish new workflows, and create a safe environment for staff to seek help. The campaign offers resources such as the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ) for assessing and improving healthcare worker wellbeing, a Leadership Storytelling Guide to encourage leaders to openly discuss mental health concerns and support staff in doing the same, and Total Worker Health® Strategies to help supervisors assist their teams in balancing work and personal responsibilities.
In addition, the campaign addresses a significant barrier to healthcare worker well-being: intrusive mental health questions on hospital credentialing applications. By auditing and modifying these questions, hospital leaders can remove obstacles to care and send a clear message of support for the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers. The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation has provided a three-step guide for hospital leaders to facilitate this change, inspired by the experience of Dr. Lorna Breen, who tragically took her own life after facing similar concerns.
J. Corey Feist, Co-Founder and President of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, highlighted the importance of removing stigmatizing and discriminatory questions from credentialing applications, emphasizing that healthcare workers deserve the right to seek mental health care without fear of job-related repercussions.
NIOSH, with more than 50 years of experience in promoting safe workplaces, continues its mission by launching Impact Wellbeing. This initiative directly addresses the operational aspects within hospitals that contribute to burnout and aims to empower hospital leaders to make practical adjustments to create a healthier and more supportive work environment.
Dr. Casey Chosewood, Director of the Office for Total Worker Health at NIOSH, stressed that while some causes of burnout may take time to address, there are many feasible ways to foster a healthy workforce and hospital system. By identifying and implementing practical operational changes, hospital leaders can help healthcare workers maintain their commitment to delivering high-quality patient care.
For more information and access to Impact Wellbeing resources, please visit www.cdc.gov/impactwellbeing. The funding for Impact Wellbeing comes from the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan of 2021 and builds on the momentum generated by the passage of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.
NIOSH, established under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, is the federal research institute dedicated to studying worker safety and health and empowering employers and workers to create safe and healthy workplaces. To learn more about NIOSH, please visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/.
NIOSH, a CDC division, unveils Impact Wellbeing, a program empowering hospital leaders to bolster healthcare workers’ workplace policies and practices. Focused on curbing burnout, encouraging seeking support, and fortifying professional wellbeing, it equips resources like a worker well-being questionnaire and leadership guidance. Notably, it tackles intrusive mental health inquiries in hospital credentialing applications. Backed by the 2021 COVID-19 American Rescue Plan, its mission aligns with the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act’s legacy, aiming to foster a supportive environment for healthcare professionals, underscoring the significance of mental health in the healthcare workspace.
