Bringing Joy to the Nursing Profession (Podcast)

In a profession defined by intensity, uncertainty and constant demands, finding and sustaining workplace joy is both a priority and an opportunity for frontline caregivers. Fortunately, insights from nurse leaders suggest that even small, consistent practices can help teams rediscover a sense of fulfillment that carries them through even the toughest days.

"Joy in nursing is not accidental," says Sue Behrens, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest and Mentor hospitals. "It is cultivated through connection, recognition, resilience and a shared commitment to supporting one another — and it ensures that even on the hardest days, meaning and purpose remain at the center of the work."

In the latest episode of Nurse Essentials, Behrens draws on a 40-year career that spans emergency medicine, flight nursing and executive leadership to explain the importance of finding joy in the workplace and fostering it in other caregivers. In this enlightening conversation, she highlights strategies for helping staff grow and creating environments in which meaningful relationships can thrive.

Click the podcast player above to listen to the episode now, or read on for a short, edited excerpt. Check out more Nurse Essentials episodes at my.clevelandclinic.org/podcasts/nurse-essentials or wherever you get your podcasts.

Podcast excerpt

Podcast host Carol Pehotsky, DNP, RN, NEA-BC: Certainly, psychological safety has a lot to do with a nurse’s ability to find joy at work. As a leader, how can I tell my team that I'm having a hard, level-one day?

Behrens: I think we have to be honest about [our challenges]. Leaders have the ability to imprint on their teams, so we have to be tuned in to our feelings and how we’re coming across. If I’m having a bad day, I’ll go walk the floors…that’s my reset button. I’ll maybe chat with people or do some leadership rounding, but it fills my cup. I [recently noticed that] one of my executive team peers does it as well. They'll get up, go out and just walk the floors. They’ll come back about 20 or 25 minutes later fully re-engaged.

Leaders must be prepared to help others, but we can only do that if we fill our own cup first.

We also need to disconnect after hours, which can be hard to do. [It’s important to remind] your directors and managers that they don’t have to be totally ‘on’ all the time. Take a quiet moment to come down from every shift.

When I was [a flight nurse], my husband knew not to have music playing when I first came into the house. I needed to keep stimulation to a minimum. I'm still that way. My decompression involves cooking. The chopping and prepping…helps bring me down. You’ve just got to find what works for you. For some people, it's reading a book.

I know that if I deviate from my wind-down rituals, my mind starts thinking about work again.

Pehotsky: How do you help other nurses define joy and look for it in themselves?

Behrens: I think it comes down to truly understanding what matters most to people. Your joy is going to be different than my joy, but I think it starts with building meaningful, authentic relationships. [Healthcare] is a tough environment…it’s not happy all the time. Sometimes nurses need a leader to step in and say: Look, it's gonna be a rough day. But you know what? We've got a great team here, and we are going to get it done. Even on days that may not be super happy, you can find joy in teamwork and in feeling supported.