Our Story: Why are we here?

We recognize and support nurses and healthcare workers as a peer support resource.

Nurses and healthcare workers may experience burnout because of a variety of causes,

and stress can lead to significant consequences, including:

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• Leaving the profession

• Depression and anxiety

• Suicide

• Substance abuse

• Feeling overwhelmed by demands

• Unsupportive work cultures

• Mental health crisis

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Survey results from the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA) highlight the disparity between the “return to normalcy” for the general public and the long-term chaos impacting healthcare professionals. The survey identified the alarmingly unsustainable high stress among nurses.

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Concerned about nurses' ongoing high-stress levels and burnout, the NCNA Board of Directors supported the NCNA Psych Council's hosting of up to four Stress First Aid programs across NC over the next twelve months.

Under the guidance of Dr. Sean Convoy, DNP, PMHNP-BC (DUSON), The NCNA Psych Council created free training for healthcare workers across the state. The initial training aimed to create opportunities for future trainers to continue disseminating and sustaining the valuable resource.

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The “Compassion and Connections” was created following the statewide Stress First Aid Program to provide peer support resources for nurses and health care professionals and to help sustain and support the use of Stress First Aid Programs across NC and beyond.

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“The SFA framework parallels how a clinician or first responder approaches physical first aid—intervening when needed to remove the stressor, prevent further harm, and promote recovery for those strongly affected by significant stress.”

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https://ncnurses.org/events/calendar-at-a-glance/beyond-pizza-doughnuts-and-burnout-a-collaborative-statewide-stress-first-aid-training-initiative-responding-to-the-needs-and-experiences-of-nurses-and-other-health-care-workers-in-north-carolina/