Support nurse well-being with accessible mind–body micro resets.
- Nurse leaders who prioritize and normalize self-care can help nuture a healthy work environment.
- Simple restorative practices incorporated into the workday can help shift individual nurses and the workplace from stress to wellness.
- Practical nature-based or mind–body micro resets practiced during shift report, charting, or patient care can help enhance personal well-being and the overall health of the workplace.
ENGAGED AND SUPPORTIVE nurse leaders who nurture a culture that prioritizes and normalizes self-care can help make a successful shift toward a healthy work environment. A cross-sectional study by Kohnen and colleagues found that leadership plays a fundamental role in both preventing and addressing burnout and in effectively implementing workplace wellness initiatives. By setting clear wellness expectations, modeling healthy behaviors, and reinforcing the importance of reset practices, leaders can improve well-being and reduce burnout. (See Burnout: A snapshot.)
Burnout: A snapshot
Burnout remains an ongoing issue impacting the nursing profession.
The 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey found that 35.4% of nurses reported experiencing burnout, and 40% were considering retiring, leaving the profession, or leaving their current positions within the next 5 years.
Burnout is a consequence of chronic workplace stress. According to systematic reviews by Li and colleagues and Rizzo and colleagues and an analysis of workforce data by Martin and colleagues, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified both burnout’s prevalence and visibility.
Based on my knowledge and expertise, as well as others’ research, I developed two simple approaches—NURTURE (Nourish and normalize, Unify and value wellness, Respect and protect time, Tailor and target education, Uphold rest and reset, Reinforce rest and recover, Empower and encourage) and RESETS (Restore mind and body, Engage daily, Set the stage, Encourage accountability, Time for mind and body, Shifting with intention)—for implementing wellness practices among nurses and other staff within healthcare settings. Although I haven’t applied these approaches in a research setting, I have steadily implemented them as both a leader and clinician. I’ve modeled these behaviors and encouraged others to foster a culture of wellness in both their personal and professional lives.
At the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) I served as an integrative medicine nurse practitioner and clinical residency director for Whole Health. In these roles I trained clinicians and medical students in Whole Health and integrative medicine and facilitated self-care learning experiences. (See VA Whole Health System.)
VA Whole Health System
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation created the VA Whole Health curriculum as a part of the national implementation of the Whole Health System. Whole Health System design and curriculum was informed by evidence-based approaches, implementation scientists, subject matter experts, and clinical leaders, including Hyde and colleagues, Kligler and colleagues, Liao and colleagues, and Bokhour and colleagues.
Before the national roll out, 18 pilot sites implemented and expanded the full Whole Health
System model. These sites leveraged Whole Health Education Champions to drive cultural transformation through staff and clinician training.
Learn more about the evidence-based research behind the program at va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/professional-resources/clinician-tools/Evidence-Based-Research.asp.
To create the NURTURE and RESETS acronyms and their specific points, I selected evidence-based, actionable strategies from the literature and organized them into concise bullet points.
NURTURE
The NURTURE acronym emphasizes the role of leadership in promoting a culture of wellness. Research by Dzau and colleagues, Gao and colleagues, Kohnen and colleagues, Ulrich and colleagues, and Waddell and colleagues informed this approach.
Leaders can nourish and normalize nurses taking time to reset by modeling and reinforcing healthy behaviors, and they can unify and value wellness through policies that promote work–life balance, such as limiting emails during off hours. By helping to ensure break coverage, leaders show respect and protect nurses’ time. Leaders can tailor and target education by providing wellness instruction during staff meetings and offering opportunities for staff to personalize interventions. In addition, leaders can uphold rest and reset by advocating for wellness policies and embedding them into onboarding procedures. When leaders identify wellness champions, include wellness in staff evaluations, and emphasize the importance of resetting in the workplace, they reinforce rest and recovery. By creating opportunities for feedback and diverse wellness solutions, leaders empower and encourage staff.
Leadership can further initiate cultural shifts by supporting the unique needs of their workplace, including equitable access, and supporting pilot programs that boost well-being. A study by Gao and colleagues showed that units with successful microbreak integration had committed leaders who set clear expectations, create clear protocols, and participate in norming behaviors. Leadership committed to embedding a culture of wellness into the hospital environment can help steer and sustain initiatives that support workplace well-being. Kohnen and colleagues found that engaged leadership fosters a positive work environment, is associated with improved nurse well-being, and helps reduce burnout.
Nurses, who typically have limited time for breaks or self-care, may find quick, accessible reset strategies beneficial. Gao and colleagues also found that brief self-care practices and daily micro resets increase resiliency, reduce burnout, and improve well-being.
RESETS
The RESETS acronym reflects the need for individuals to intentionally shift from stress to wellness by incorporating simple restorative practices into the workday. Research by Gao and colleagues and Sonnentag and colleagues informed this approach.
Nurses can restore their mind and body by incorporating simple breathing exercises during shift report, charting, or patient care. They can engage daily in micro resets, whether nature-based or mind–body throughout a shift. Nurses can set the stage for success by gathering resources or identifying areas for practicing micro resets and encourage accountability through goal setting or pairing with a wellness buddy. They also can aim to find time for the mind and body, prioritizing self-care, mindfulness, and daily resets. When nurses participate in shifting with intention, they enhance both their personal well-being and the overall health of the workplace. (See NURTURE: Lead to reset)
NURTURE: Lead to reset
These practical approaches for nurse leaders can help nurture wellness and micro resets in the workplace.
- Nourish and normalize resets.
- Acknowledge micro resets as normal and necessary to thrive.
- Model wellness behavior.
- Reinforce permission to rest, reset, and rejuvenate.
- Unify and value wellness.
- Set standards to foster unity and resilience.
- Model healthy behaviors by stepping away from the desk and prioritizing rest and resets during work.
- Honor off-work time and refrain from contacting staff on days off.
- Respect and protect time.
- Champion culture change.
- Build in protected time for breaks and micro resets.
- Provide coverage for uninterrupted lunch breaks.
- Tailor and target education.
- Provide opportunities to tailor micro resets to team’s needs.
- Teach and demonstrate practical techniques for rest and reset.
- Provide resources during meetings and scheduled training.
- Uphold rest and reset.
- Advocate for rest and reset.
- Build rest and recovery into policies, guidelines, and onboarding.
- Support wellness programs and resources.
- Reinforce rest and recovery.
- Identify unit champions.
- Recognize and celebrate champions of rest and reset practices.
- Include wellness participation in personal development and performance evaluations.
- Empower and encourage conversation.
- Create opportunities for feedback, accessibility, and equity.
- Start small, use staff ideas for pilot programs.
- Empower staff to participate in sustainable culture change.
Practical micro reset interventions for nurses include nature-based and mind–body strategies.
Healing power of nature
Cultures have used the natural environment, or nature, since the beginning of time to rest and reset. Siah and colleagues discussed theories on the healing properties of nature, including humans’ innate connection to nature and its restorative features and stress-reducing properties.
As global urbanization has continued to expand, growing disconnection from nature has highlighted health issues and the importance of reconnecting with the natural world. For example, in 2019, Engemann and colleagues conducted a large epidemiological study of approximately one million people in Denmark. The researchers found that low exposure to green space during childhood and adolescence increased the risk of developing mental health conditions by as much as 55%, independent of other risk factors.
“Shinrin-yoku” (“forest bathing”), a term coined in Japan in the 1980s, describes the practice of reconnecting with the natural world to address the rising stress associated with limited daily exposure to nature. Interest in this practice has continued to grow with Li’s review introducing Forest Medicine, a science that studies the effects of forest environments on health. Li further defined forest bathing as the act of immersing oneself in the forest environment and engaging mindfully with all senses. An integrative review by Johansson and colleagues found that nature-based interventions reduce stress and improve mental health, well-being, self-efficacy, and cognitive function in adults with stress-related illnesses.
Nature can help restore cognition and attention, allowing the brain and body to rest. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Bell and colleagues found cognitive performance across multiple domains improved after nature exposure vs non-nature exposure. Although the effects were small, the strongest evidence observed was in working memory and attention.
Restoration can occur through micro-exposures to nature whether indoor, outdoor, or virtually. Various practical strategies for nature-based micro resets exist, including outdoor microbreaks, window nature viewing, nature imagery, nature sounds, and natural healing environments. (See Nature-based micro resets.)
Nature-based micro resets
Nurses may want to consider incorporating some of these practical nature-based micro reset exercises into their workdays.
Outdoor microbreaks (30 seconds to 10 minutes)
- Identify a safe, quiet place outside.
- Leave phones and other devices inside.
- Walk leisurely while taking a few deep cleansing breaths.
- Be present and notice sounds, sights, smells, and sensations.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with focus.
Window nature viewing (60 to 90 seconds)
- Identify a quiet, natural viewing area away from work tasks.
- Sit or stand for 60 to 90 seconds focusing on the scenery.
- Be present and notice colors, movement, nature, warmth, and weather.
- Take deep cleansing breaths—inhale calm and exhale stress and tension.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with focus.
Nature imagery (30 seconds to 5 minutes)
- Locate a quiet place.
- Close eyes, if comfortable, and visualize a favorite nature scene such as a park, beach, mountains, river, woods, or lake.
- Engage all the senses to see, hear, smell, and feel the setting.
- Take deep cleansing breaths and imagine stress leaving with each exhalation and calmness entering with each inhalation.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with focus.
Nature sounds (30 seconds to 5 minutes)
- Locate a quiet place.
- Select calming nature sounds (e.g., ocean waves, waterfall, birds) using digital apps or websites.
- Close eyes, if comfortable, and visualize surroundings that complement the sound.
- Take deep cleansing breaths and imagine stress leaving with each exhalation and calmness entering with each inhalation.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with rejuvenation.
Nature healing environment (60 seconds to 10 minutes)
- Identify a healing space (e.g., garden or courtyard).
- Take a walk or sit quietly.
- Notice physical and emotional sensations using all the senses.
- Use this time for reflection.
- Take deep cleansing breaths and imagine stress leaving with each exhalation and calmness entering with each inhalation.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with rejuvenation.
(Guided practices are available online and through digital apps.)
More nature-based micro resets
Breathing techniques (1 to 3 minutes)
Follow these steps for paced breathing:
- Identify a pause moment (sit or stand).
- Choose the technique (see below).
- Notice the sensation of air moving into and out of the body.
- Imagine stress leaving with each exhalation and calmness entering with each inhalation.
- Repeat for 3 to 5 times.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with focus.
- Identify a pause moment (sit or stand).
- Set an intention.
- Choose the practice (see below).
- Engage the mind and body.
- Focus on letting go of tension.
- End with a deep cleansing breath.
- Return with focus.
- Scrunch facial muscles for 5 seconds, release for 10 seconds;
- Shrug and tense shoulders for 5 seconds, release for 10 seconds;
- Tighten biceps for 5 seconds, release for 10 seconds; and
- Clench fists for 5 seconds
- Move systematically in a sequence (e.g., head to toe or toe to head).
- Notice sensations and tension in areas of the body.
- Relax the tense muscle or areas of the body by breathing in relaxation and exhaling tension.
- Be mindful of the present moment.
- Take a quick walk to the other side of the unit.
- Complete foot circles or neck rolls.
- Perform yoga poses.
- Adjust posture with intention.
(Guided practices are available online and through digital apps.)
Inhale for 5 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Exhale for 4 seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Hold for 7 seconds.
Exhale for 8 seconds (through mouth).
Mind-body relaxation (1 to 5 minutes)
Follow these steps for mind–body practices:
(Guided practices are available online and through digital apps.)
Focus on the main muscle groups; tense for 5 seconds and relax for 10 seconds. For example,
Outdoor microbreaks. Microbreaks are flexible pauses that typically last from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Sonnentag and colleagues found that microbreaks help renew and recharge energy. Outdoor microbreaks build on this concept by taking brief departures from the work environment to step outside and experience nature, such as breathing in fresh air and exposing oneself to sunlight.
Gao and colleagues’ longitudinal cohort study found that nurses can benefit from microbreaks with reduced pain intensity, perceived stress, and burnout, along with improved patient safety. Outdoor microbreaks can be further enhanced through mindfulness practices—formal or informal actions that encourage being fully present in the moment.
Window nature viewing. A meta-analysis by Soga and Gaston found window nature viewing (sitting or standing while looking at nature through a window) has the potential to improve overall well-being with various health effects, including reduced pain and stress, enhanced mood, and improved cognitive ability. This practice is useful for those with limited access to nature or who don’t feel safe or are unable to leave their indoor environment.
Nature viewing can be applied in diverse hospital settings where leaving the workstation is challenging, yet a nearby window provides views of natural elements such as trees, gardens, mountains, lakes, rivers, or parks. When natural scenery isn’t visible, alternatives such as nature imagery or recordings of nature sounds can provide similar benefits.
Nature imagery. Various options exist for enjoying nature imagery, including viewing photographs or art or participating in virtual walks or tours of natural environments. Nature imagery also can be reproduced through guided imagery, which involves directing an individual to elicit their active imagination.
A randomized control trial by Zemla and colleagues found that guided imagery improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and enhances cognitive function, particularly attention awareness. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis by Chen and colleagues showed that virtual nature exposure reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. A simple way to add digital nature to the hospital work environment is with nature screensavers on all workstations.
Nature sounds. Nature sounds experienced in natural settings like parks provide a relaxing way to reset and improve overall well-being and mood. Nature sounds also can be incorporated into hospital spaces such as breakrooms and public spaces or accessed digitally through phones or workstations. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Fan and Baharum reported that exposure to nature sounds positively affects physiological markers such as blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate, while also improving mood and reducing stress compared to no noise.
Natural healing environments. Natural healing environments deliver a nature-based experience through the inclusion of live or artificial plants, greenery, and nature imagery. These environments frequently incorporate natural materials such as wood, stone, or water features. Research, including systematic reviews by Andersen and colleagues and Siah and colleagues (also including a meta-analysis) and studies by Li, highlight how nature exposure reduces stress and anxiety, improves mood and overall well-being, enhances physiological functioning, and supports immune health through anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic responses and increases natural killer cell activity. Some hospitals have integrated healing spaces and gardens into their facilities, providing areas that support the well-being of patients and staff.
Anywhere mind–body micro resets
Resetting through nature offers a robust option for enhancing well-being; however, it may not be practical in all scenarios or during every shift. Nurses can choose to participate in practical self-regulation strategies—such as anchoring exercises, self-affirmations, breathing techniques, and mind–body relaxation exercises—to transfer the sensory nervous system from a state of stress to calm. (See Anywhere resets.)
Anywhere resets
Nurses can practice the following mind–body micro resets anywhere.
Anchoring (30 seconds to 2 minutes)
- See. Name 5 things visible in the environment
- Touch. Notice 4 items that can be felt (e.g. feet on the floor, keyboard, clothing)
- Hear. Listen to 3 sounds
- Smell. Identify or imagine 2 pleasant scents
- Taste. Focus on 1 favorite taste that brings joy
- Return with focus
- Choose an item to focus on (e.g. a warm mug, cold drink, meditation stone, small tactile item)
- Hold the item and focus on temperature, texture, and weight
- Inhale calm and exhale stress and tension
- Return with focus
Self-affirmations (30 seconds to 2 minutes)
- Identify a break opportunity (e.g., during charting or between patient tasks).
- Select a positive phrase (e.g., “I am making a difference,” “I am strong and resilient”).
- Repeat the phrase three to five times silently or aloud throughout the shift.
- Write the phrase down for additional impact.
- Take cleansing breaths and notice enhanced well-being.
- Return with rejuvenation.
Anchoring exercises. Nurses seeking a quick way to quiet cognitive noise can try an anchoring (grounding) exercise, which draws on mindfulness to redirect stress through present moment and sensory awareness. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Dou and colleagues found mindfulness-based interventions for nurses reduced burnout and enhanced resilience and sleep quality.
One simple effective approach is the Five Senses Technique (FST), also known as 5-4-3-2-1. This mindfulness-based grounding strategy shifts attention from internal stress to external sensory experiences. Research continues to emerge, but a mixed-methods study conducted by Scott and colleagues found nursing students who used FST reported significantly lower test anxiety.
Self-affirmations. Another useful micro reset technique to mute negative thoughts is positive self-talk or self-affirmations. A meta-analysis by Zhang and colleagues found self-affirmations promote general mental health and well-being. This practical technique can be done during daily tasks like hand washing or before entering a patient’s room, using silent or written cues rather than spoken phrases.
Breathing techniques. According to a systematic review by Morgan and colleagues, certain breathing techniques can reset the sensory nervous system and improve mental health, especially when incorporated into daily practice. Short breaks focused on paced breathing—resonance (coherent) breathing, box (square) breathing, or 4-7-8 breathing—can provide a quick method for a healthy reset. Breathing exercises aimed at promoting calm and resilience can be practiced in any setting. For example, nurses may choose to integrate breathing exercises into daily shift reports to practice and model healthy reset behavior.
Mind–body relaxation exercises. Practical mind–body relaxation exercises that can help provide relaxation include progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), body scans, and gentle movement. A systematic review by Muhammad and colleagues found PMR effective at reducing stress, anxiety, and depression in adults. Similarly, a network meta-analysis by Zhang and colleagues found that mind–body relaxation practices effectively relieve work-related stress among healthcare workers.
Nurses can perform mind–body relaxation exercises sitting or standing and without video or audio guidance. Units also may consider incorporating these exercises into a collective break during shifts to normalize and support a culture of wellness. For example, charge nurses can guide staff in a stretch break.
RESETS: Shift to thrive
These practical approaches can help nurses engage in micro resets throughout a shift.
- Restore the mind and body.
- Practice focused paced breathing throughout the shift.
- Begin the shift with resonance or box breathing.
- End the shift with 4-7-8 breathing.
- Engage daily.
- Participate in micro resets daily.
- Include daily micro resets throughout the shift—at least every 2 to 4 hours.
- Take part in micro resets during breaks and charting as well as between procedures, patient handoffs, and patient rooms.
- Set the stage.
- Gather resources to participate in micro resets.
- Access nature resources, either digital or natural settings.
- Find digital and wellness apps that include access to nature sounds and videos.
- Locate areas to step away for a reset.
- Encourage accountability.
- Find a wellness buddy who can provide accountability.
- Set goals with the team.
- Make it fun. For example, plan competitions highlighting wellness leaders with a leader board.
- Time for the mind and body.
- Protect time for daily mind and body resets.
- Practice stretching, body scans, and progressive muscle relaxation during charting.
- Use anchoring phrases for encouragement and mindful presence with patients.
- Shifting with intention.
- Set a daily intention before each shift.
- Throughout the shift, check in with yourself and coworkers to encourage rest and resets.
- Value health on and off the clock.
Shift into wellness
Nurse burnout remains a significant challenge, frequently driven by high-stress work environments. However, meaningful relief doesn’t require a full lunch break or time away in nature. Research shows that even 30 seconds of a few intentional breaths at the nurses’ station, a glance out a nearby window, or a nature screen saver can reduce stress, enhance resilience, and restore well-being. These micro resets are low cost, evidence-based strategies designed to fit realistically into a nurse’s workday.
As nurses begin to feel empowered to shift into wellness, they recognize the accessibility of nature and mind–body micro resets during their shifts, not just on their days off. This shift from surviving to thriving becomes achievable and sustainable when leadership reinforces supportive policies, protected breaks, and shared accountability. This cultural shift begins with small, individual moments of reset, which collectively cultivate a healthier environment for nurses and patients. (See Additional resources.)
Additional self-care resources
These nursing organizations offer self-care resources.
American Holistic Nurses Association: Self-care and resilience toolkit ahna.org/American-Holistic-Nurses-Association/Resources/Self-Care-and-Resilience
American Nurses Association: Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation: Free wellness program for nurses healthynursehealthynation.org
Alison Kuhn is an assistant professor at Saint Louis University in Saint Louis, Missouri.
American Nurse Journal. 2026; 21(8). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ082636
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Nursing workforce fact sheet. 2026. aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce-fact-sheet
Andersen L, Corazon SS, Stigsdotter UK. Nature exposure and its effects on immune system functioning: A systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1416. doi:10.3390/ijerph18041416
Bell CN, St George R, Honan C, Bell LJ, Jolly ATW, Matthews A. The relationship between nature exposures and attention restoration, as moderated by exposure duration: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Environ Psychol. 2025;104:102632. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102632
Bokhour BG, Hyde J, Zeliadt SB, Mohr DC. Whole Health System of Care evaluation: A progress report on outcomes of the WHS pilot at 18 flagship sites. Veterans Health Administration. February 18, 2020. va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/docs/EPCC_WHSevaluation_FinalReport_508.pdf
Chen L, Yan R, Yu J. Virtual nature, real relief: How exposure to virtual natural environments reduces anxiety, stress, and depression in healthy adults. NPJ Digit Med. 2025;8(1):679. doi:10.1038/s41746-025-02057-4
Dou J, Lian Y, Lin L, et al. Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on burnout, resilience and sleep quality among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Nurs. 2025;24(1):739. doi:10.1186/s12912-025-03101-0
Engemann K, Pedersen CB, Arge L, Tsirogiannis C, Mortensen PB, Svenning JC. Residential green space in childhood is associated with lower risk of psychiatric disorders from adolescence into adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2019;116(11):5188-93. doi:10.1073/pnas.1807504116
Fan L, Baharum MR. The effect of exposure to natural sounds on stress reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Stress. 2024;27(1):2402519. doi:10.1080/10253890.2024.2402519
Gao W, Fan G, Liu D, Fan G. Long-term effects of structured microbreak interventions on musculoskeletal health, psychological wellbeing, and patient safety among operating room nurses: A multicenter longitudinal cohort study. J Healthc Leadersh. 2025;17:527-48. doi:10.2147/JHL.S550777
Hyde J, Dvorin K, Kernan L, Rai Z. Whole Health Clinical Champions: Lessons learned from flagship sites. Veterans Health Administration. June 1, 2021. va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/docs/Clinical_Champion_Lessons_Learned_from_Flagship_Sites_FINAL_06012021.pdf
Johansson G, Juuso P, Engström Å. Nature-based interventions to promote health for people with stress-related illness: An integrative review. Scand J Caring Sci. 2022;36(4):910-25. doi:10.1111/scs.13089
Jun J, Ojemeni MM, Kalamani R, Tong J, Crecelius ML. Relationship between nurse burnout, patient and organizational outcomes: Systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud. 2021;119:103933. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103933
Kligler B, Hyde J, Gantt C, Bokhour B. The Whole Health transformation at the Veterans Health Administration: Moving from “What’s the matter with you?” to “What matters to you?” Med Care. 2022;60(5):387-91. doi:10.1097/MLR.0000000000001706
Kohnen D, De Witte H, Schaufeli WB, et al. Engaging leadership and nurse well-being: The role of the work environment and work motivation—A cross-sectional study. Hum Resour Health. 2024;22(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12960-023-00886-6
Li LZ, Yang P, Singer SJ, Pfeffer J, Mathur MB, Shanafelt T. Nurse burnout and patient safety, satisfaction, and quality of care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2443059. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43059
Li Q. Effects of forest environment (shinrin-yoku/forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention —The establishment of “Forest Medicine.” Environ Health Prev Med. 2022;27:43. doi:10.1265/ehpm.22-00160
Liao TH, Rindfleisch JA, Howard KP, Castellani M, Noyes Grimsgaard S. Advancing a new model of collaborative practice: a decade of Whole Health interprofessional education across Veterans Health Administration. BMC Med Educ. 2024;24:987. doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05945-7
Martin B, Kaminski-Ozturk N, O’Hara C, Smiley R. Examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout and stress among U.S. nurses. J Nurs Regul. 2023;14(1):4–12. doi:10.1016/S2155-8256(23)00063-7
Morgan SP, Lengacher CA, Seo Y. A systematic review of breathing exercise interventions: An integrative complementary approach for anxiety and stress in adult populations. J Holist Nurs. 2025;43(4):354-76. doi:10.1177/08980101241273860
Muhammad Khir S, Wan Mohd Yunus WMA, Mahmud N, Wang R, et al. Efficacy of progressive muscle relaxation in adults for stress, anxiety, and depression: A systematic review. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2024;17:345-65. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S437277
Rizzo A, Yıldırım M, Öztekin GG, et al. Nurse burnout before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic comparative review. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1225431. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1225431
Scott KM, Duncan K, McCoy TP. Ground yourself: Using five senses technique to cope with test anxiety among nursing students. Teach Learn Nurs. 2026;21(1):35-40. doi:10.1016/j.teln.2025.09.022
Siah CJR, Goh YS, Lee J, Poon SN, Ow Yong JQY, Tam WSW. The effects of forest bathing on psychological well‐being: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Int J Ment Health Nurs. 2023;32(4):1038-54. doi:10.1111/inm.13131
Smiley RA, Kaminski-Ozturk N, Reid M, et al. The 2024 National Nursing Workforce Survey. J Nurs Regul. 2025;16(1):S1-88. doi:10.1016/S2155-8256(25)00047-X
Soga M, Gaston KJ. Health benefits of viewing nature through windows: A meta-analysis. BioScience. 2025;75(8):628-36. doi:10.1093/biosci/biaf089
Sonnentag S, Cheng BH, Parker SL. Recovery from work: Advancing the field toward the future. Annu Rev Organ Psychol Organ Behav. 2022;9:33-60. doi:10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091355
Veterans Health Administration. Whole Health: Evidence-based research. August 28, 2025. va.gov/WHOLEHEALTH/professional-resources/clinician-tools/Evidence-Based-Research.asp
World Health Organization. State of the World’s Nursing 2025. iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/a4173924-a18f-49b6-8bd1-9c2a4a098980/content
Zemla K, Sedek G, Wróbel K, Postepski F, Wojcik GM. Investigating the impact of guided imagery on stress, brain functions, and attention: A randomized trial. Sensors. 2023;23(13):6210. doi:10.3390/s23136210
Zhang Y, Chen B, Hu X, Wang M. The impact of self-affirmation interventions on well-being: A meta-analysis. Am Psychol. 2025. 27. doi:10.1037/amp0001591
Zhang Y, Sun J, Wu C, Fei Y, Hu W, Lang H. Comparing the effectiveness of mind-body practices (MBPs) and various psychological methods on occupational stress among healthcare workers: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Health Serv Res. 2024;24(1):962. doi:10.1186/s12913-024-11437-7
Key words: micro resets, nature, wellness, mind-body connection
