Nurse burnout is a growing concern that can impact both the well-being of nurses and the quality of care their patients receive. Long shifts, high-stakes decisions, and emotional demands have led to rising stress levels, with recent surveys showing burnout affects a majority of nurses — especially those early in their careers. This is a national issue, touching every hospital and health system in the United States.
To address this concerning challenge, the United Health Foundation and the American Nurses Foundation (ANF) launched a three-year, $3.1 million grant partnership to promote nurse well-being.
Through this partnership, the Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support program has helped transform organizational culture, remove the stigma associated with seeking mental health support and offer nurses a new peer support and leadership model to help them use mental health resources earlier and more effectively.
“This nurse well-being program helps us to know that it’s okay to prioritize our needs and that if we’re at our best self, we can take better care of our patients in the long run. It makes us more aware of our co-workers and we feel more comfortable talking with them too if we notice something is going on with them.”
Breana Price | RN, USA Health University Hospital
The program has been piloted in four health care organizations, reaching more than 15,000 nurses in both rural and urban acute care settings. The well-being curriculum developed through this partnership is now available for free to nurses across the country, expanding the reach and impact of this initiative.
“Through strategic investments in peer support programs, scholarships and leadership awards, the United Health Foundation is focused on building a resilient nursing workforce and empowering the next generation of nurse leaders to meet the evolving demands of health care. This partnership is an example of how we can strengthen the frontlines of the health care system and build healthier communities.”
Anne Yau | senior vice president of social responsibility and president of the United Health Foundation
Making an impact
This partnership has delivered much needed support for nurse well-being, mental health and leadership development — helping nurses thrive and strengthening care for the communities they serve.
Since its launch in 2022:
- 88% of nurses enrolled in the pilot program found the model easy to use.
- 90% found the model fitting and suitable for their needs.
- 28% decrease in burnout among nurses enrolled in the pilot program.
The ANF recently recognized the United Health Foundation as its 2025 Foundation Impact Honoree, celebrating our long-standing partnership and commitment to supporting nurses.
“Connecting with each other to support one another to get through the daily stress of the environment, that’s one of the biggest things I’ve taken away from this program. My turnover has decreased over the last year. I’ve actually had to take nursing positions down off our website that have been there for over three years — things like that show me that our team is working together and things like this have made that team stronger and more united.”
Philip Merritt | RN, nurse manager, emergency department, USA Health University Hospital
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