“What I fear is a lot of executives are chasing things that may not really help their workers or help their environment, because they haven't really had that two-way engagement about what healthcare workers need.” -Christopher Friese  

In this SEE YOU NOW Insight from Episode 65: Sending Out an S.O.S., national nursing workforce expert and healthcare safety researcher Christopher Friese sounds the alarm: without listening directly to healthcare workers, even well-meaning policies may fall short of making a difference.  

Nurses experience rates of burnout, trauma, and suicide that exceed both the general population and even physicians. Yet stigma, fear of licensing consequences, and unsupportive systems too often prevent them from getting the help they need.  

Friese shares how the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is transforming national policy and shifting the conversation around workforce mental health, but he’s clear that legislation alone isn’t enough.  

What’s needed, Friese explains, is genuine two-way engagement between leaders and frontline clinicians. To protect and sustain the healthcare workforce, we must remove barriers, reimagine environments, and build cultures of safety, trust, and well-being together. 

To listen to this Insight clip’s full episode visit SEE YOU NOW Podcast Episode 65: Sending out an S.O.S. at APPLE, SPOTIFY, or YOUTUBE or at your favorite streaming platform. For more information on the podcast bundles visit ANA’s Innovation Website at https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/innovation/education. 

Have questions or feedback for the SEE YOU NOW team?  Future episode ideas? Contact us at [email protected].