About The Project
The RN Well-Being (RNWB) Project is a strategic, statewide initiative of the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN), designed to strengthen the mental and emotional well-being of Oregon’s nursing workforce. Recognizing the essential role nurses play in healthcare, the project addresses the systemic and environmental challenges that contribute to burnout, psychological harm, and workforce instability.
Grounded in research and built through deep collaboration with Oregon’s nursing community, the RNWB Project reflects a holistic and evolving understanding of nurse well-being—what threatens it, what protects it, and how we can work collectively to support it.
Key Focus Areas
Awareness & Advocacy
Elevating understanding of the emotional and mental health challenges faced by nurses, while shaping policies and conversations that support sustainable workforce well-being.
Collaborative Solutions
Partnering with healthcare organizations, industry leaders, and nurse-led committees to identify and implement evidence-based strategies that promote change in workplace culture and systems.
Empowerment through Resources
Providing nurses, employers, and leaders with actionable tools, frameworks, and findings that support individual and organizational well-being.
A Data-Informed, Nurse-Led Approach
Early work in this project revealed a critical distinction: not all workplace stressors are the same, and not all stressors can be solved through self-care or resilience training. Through the Friday Huddle, statewide listening sessions, advisory committees, and a 5,000+ response survey conducted with the Oregon State Board of Nursing, OCN identified two primary categories of stressors:
- Removable Stressors – systemic and environmental issues that lead to burnout.
- Manageable Stressors – those that impact emotional and mental health, but can be moderated through
support and organizational culture.
This insight shifted the project’s trajectory—from a narrow focus on burnout to a broader, more accurate
framework for addressing both workplace harm and emotional strain.
Statewide Reach & Impact
Since its inception, the RNWB Project has expanded across sectors and care settings through:
- Statewide research and dissemination
- Creation of evidence-informed tools and resources for nurses and employers
- Engagement of nurse workgroups and advisory councils
- Partnerships with healthcare systems and community-based providers
- Distribution of over $846,000 in grant funding for nurse-informed innovation projects.
These efforts are interconnected—not isolated—and together form a statewide platform for meaningful, sustained change.
Powered by Strategic Support
Initial support came from SAMHSA (via Senator Jeff Merkley), ODHS, Kaiser Permanente, and community partners like BALA Footwear. While major funding phases have concluded, the project continues to deliver meaningful outcomes across Oregon through the use of monies from the Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund and individual donations.
Innovation in Action
How grant funds were used to address work stress across Oregon workplaces.
Join the Movement to Support Nurse Well-Being
We welcome collaboration with organizations, employers, funders, and advocates committed to a healthier nursing workforce. Contact us to explore partnership opportunities or support future phases of this work.
