Editor's Recommended Reads In celebration of International Nurses Day 2026
Table of Contents
Evidence, expertise and the future of social care nursing: time to claim our space
Valuing internationally educated nurses and diversity in the community nursing workforce
Editor's Recommended Reads Reinvigorating resilience among nurses: the importance of embedding and normalising clinical supervision in everyday nursing practice Inclusive academic-clinical collaboration overcomes barriers and strengthens nursing education Nurses’ resilience depends on organisational, personal and team factors and can be maintained through strategies and interventions across all these levels
Editorial
Evidence, expertise and the future of social care nursing: time to claim our space Caroline Morton , Claire Pryor
Adult social care nurses support some of the most clini- cally complex individuals in the system, yet the extent of their expertise often remains underestimated and under- valued. The dominant narrative continues to reinforce the perception of social care as a less specialised and less evidence-based area of nursing practice. This is despite a growing body of international research showing the sophistication of nursing practice within these environ- ments, such as the recent international scoping review of advanced nursing roles in care homes and charitable organisations. 1 Although ‘social care’ is a term most commonly used in England, it is gaining recognition in countries such as Ireland, Canada and Australia, while internationally, similar services may be described as ‘long term care’. 2 The presence of registered nurses across these settings varies depending on the specific service model and context. Social care nurses manage advanced clinical deci- sion making, negotiate significant legal and ethical risks and deliver personalised care that directly influences population health. 2 As we move towards a National Care Service, and transition care out of hospitals and into the community, tapping into the knowledge and expertise of nurses in social care is vital to ensure people remain at the heart of care, and service models truly encompass the full breadth of ‘community’ care provision. The specialist nature of social care nursing needs far greater recognition, and the evidence base will only strengthen if social care nurses are recognised as equals by peers. Building on momentum and existing capacity ensures social care nurses have a more visible and influ- ential role in leading and shaping the research that informs their practice. The 2024–2025 Skills for Care Workforce data show that, in England, there are circa 35 000 nurses working across social care. More than 70% of these nurses have worked in the sector for over ten years, with an average of 17.8 years in social care, highlighting the depth of expertise and experience within the workforce 3 and its attractiveness as a sector of choice for employment. Regulatory and professional standards reinforce the expectation that social care practice is grounded in evidence. The Care Quality Commission 4 expects that providers ‘plan and deliver people’s care and treatment with them, including what is important and matters to them… in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice and standards’. Similarly, the Nursing and Midwifery Council 5 is clear that ‘Regis- tered nurses play a vital role in providing, leading and coordinating care, that is, compassionate, evidence- based and person-centred’ with evidence and research being explicit in eleven proficiencies within the seven platforms of the Standards of proficiency for registered nurses.
It is widely accepted across nursing literature that engaging with evidence-based practice improves outcomes for those who use services. 6 The autonomy and independent decision-making expected of social care nurses means they must remain up to date with best practice. However, there is a notable lack of research that examines the impact and application of evidence- based practice across social care settings by nurses. This is not to call into question the level or quality of care provided, more so to champion increased funding, research and dissemination activity to bring into clear focus the wealth of innovative, impactful practice that occurs in social care nursing settings, but is often not visible. The diverse nature of social care nursing means there is considerable variation in how nurses work with the people they care for, their roles and responsibilities and how they use their skills and experiences. This, combined with the ‘pragmatic, modest and care focussed’ nature of social care nurses, 7 recruitment and retention chal- lenges 8 and the smaller and more isolated nature of many providers compared with the NHS, 9 creates signif- icant structural constraints for the sector. As a result, social care settings often have limited access to the infrastructure, research partnerships, academic collabo- ration or funded inquiry that other areas of nursing rely upon. This, in turn, may reduce opportunities for nurses to engage with, contribute to or lead the research activity that underpins their practice. Addressing this imbalance is essential if social care nursing is to claim its space as a specialist area of evidence-informed practice. We now find ourselves at a pivotal moment. The new Fit for the Future plan 10 recognises the vital role of care delivered where people live, and there is growing momentum behind strengthening student nurse expo- sure to social care through education and placements. 11 Alongside national aspirations for health and social care to expand nurse-led research, strengthen research careers and create greater opportunities for nurses at every level to engage with evidence generation. 12 This renewed policy focus creates an important opportunity to strengthen the evidence base that specif- ically underpins social care nursing. National initiatives such as the NIHR School for Social Care Research and the Adult Social Care Applied Research Collaboration, together with current work to identify research priori- ties for the profession and research funders, 13 14 signal a welcome shift in attention and investment. The momentum is already visible in the expanding body of social care research such as the Department of Health and Social Care’s Adult Social Care Nurse Prescribing Pilot. We have strong national advocates shaping these discussions. The next step is enabling social care nurses across all settings to feel confident, equipped and
10.1136/ebnurs-2026-104557
School of Health and Society, University of Salford, Salford, UK
Correspondence to: Caroline Morton; c .j.m orton@ salford.a c.uk
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Editorial
supported to be part of research activity that will define the future of their practice. This should be supported by a shared responsibility with organisations 9 including providers, education, regulation and commissioning. When social care nurses are enabled to contribute to and lead research, the profession’s expertise becomes more visible, valued and influential. The opportunity before us now is to ensure that social care nursing is not only evidence informed, but evidence generating, shaping the future of care where people live. Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. Competing interests None declared. Ethics approval Not applicable. Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. ORCID iD Caroline Morton https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6107- 683X References 1 Kelly S , Pryor C, Stephens M, et al . Exploring the Presence and Impact of Advanced Nursing Roles in Care Homes and Charitable Organisations: An International Systematic Scoping Review. J Adv Nurs 2025. 2 Pryor C , Kelly S, Heaslip V, et al . Adult social care nursing: A hybrid concept analysis. Int J Nurs Stud Adv 2026;10:100491. 3 Skills for Care . Nurses in social care. 2025. Available: https:// www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social-Care-WorkforceData/ workforceintelligence/Reports-and-visualisations/Regulated- professions/Nursesin-social-care.aspx
4 Care Quality Commission . Delivering evidence-based care and treatment. 2024. Available: https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance- regulation/providers/assessment/single-assessmentframework/ effective/delivering-evidence-based-care 5 Nursing and Midwifery Council . Standards of proficiency for registered nurses. 2018. Available: https://www.nmc.org.uk/ standards/standards-for-nurses/standards-of-proficiency-for- registered-nurses/ 6 Connor L , Dean J, McNett M, et al . Evidence-based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs 2023;20:6–15. 7 Connor L . Nursing in the care sector: complex, autonomous and hiding in plain sight. 2026. Available: https://www.fons. org/blogs/nursing-in-the-care-sector/ 8 DHSC. 2025. Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/ statistics/adult-social-care-workforcesurvey-april-2025/adult- social-care-workforce-survey-april-2025-report 9 Chinn T . How often do we pause to realise what evidence- based means in practice. Nursing Times; 2023. 10 Department of Health and Social Care . Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England. 2025. Available: https://assets. publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6888a0b1a11f859994409147/ fit-forthe-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england.pdf 11 Skills for Care . Strategy to enable social care placements for student nurses and nursing associates. Skills for Care; 2025. Available: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/resources/ documents/Regulated-professions/Nursing/Student-nurse- placements/Strategy-to-enable-social-care-placements-for- student-nurses-and-nursing-associates.pdf 12 NHS England and NHS Improvement . Making research matter: Chief Nursing Officer for England’s strategic plan for research. 2021. Available: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wpcontent/ uploads/2021/11/B0880-cno-for-englands-strategic-plan-fo- research.pdf 13 University of Salford . Research priority setting for adult social care nursing. 2025. Available: https://adult-social-care-nursing. salford.ac.uk/work/research-priority-setting-foradult-social- care-nursing/ 14 NHS England . Nursing research and evidence underpinning practice, policy and system transformation. n.d. Available: https://www.england.nhs.uk/nursingmidwifery/researchand- evidence/
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Opinion
Valuing internationally educated nurses and diversity in the community nursing workforce Ben Bowers, 1,2 Noor Ul Haq, 3 Amanda Young, 2 Crystal Oldman 2
casing the opportunities of working in the community as international nurses. These are useful starting points. However, evidence-based initiatives to develop, nurture and retain internationally educated nurses are needed. The QNI has recently worked with Leeds Community NHS Health Care Trust to deliver a development programme specifically for internationally recruited nurses. Opportuni- ties for career progression were discussed alongside practical advice on the UK recruitment process. The nurses on the programme had all been in the UK for longer than 6months and they agreed that a period of settling into the NHS was needed before thinking about career progression. The use of person specifications in job descriptions was not culturally familiar and having the opportunity to look at transferable skills in alignment with job descriptions was considered very useful. Opportunities for further education and training in community nursing were also reported as being bene- ficial as this was a new area of clinical practice for many of the internationally educated nurses on the development programme. We have shared some promising initiatives and develop- ments for meaningfully supporting internationally educated nurses in the community. These are primarily pilot projects and resources informed by expert consensus. Further high- quality research is needed to understand what works well in supporting successful transitions and equal career opportu- nities in community settings, especially from internationally educated nurses’ perspectives. Nothing about us without us applies here; we need to empower and support internation- ally educated nurses to co-design and lead this important research. Funding Ben Bowers is supported by the Wellcome Trust [225577/Z/22/]. Competing interests None declared. Ethics approval Not applicable. Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. References 1 Safari K , McKenna L, Davis J. Transition experiences of internationally qualified health care professionals: a narrative scoping review. Int J Nurs Stud 2022;129:104221. 2 Health Foundation . Thinking local and global: exploring the UK’s reliance on international nurses and the impact of COVID-19. 2023. Available: https://www.health.org.uk/news- and-comment/charts-and-infographics/thinking-local-and- global-exploring-the-uks-reliance-on-international-nurses 3 Pendleton J . The experiences of black and minority ethnic nurses working in the UK. Br J Nurs 2017;26:37–42. 4 Debesay J , Arora S, Fougner M. Organisational culture and ethnic diversity in nursing homes: a qualitative study of
The contributions of internationally educated nurses are one of our under-recognised strengths in the community health and social care workforce. Interna- tional colleagues possess valuable skills and expertise, multi-cultural perspectives and insights that strengthen patient-centred care and teams. The UK and many high- income countries actively recruit international nurses to meet expanding healthcare needs. 1 2 For example, healthcare services in the UK and Norway employ high proportions of people from overseas 3 4 ; many inter- nationally qualified nurses work in care homes and increasingly in the community. 1 4 But do we really value the diversity and skill set of our international workforce? Sadly, evidence suggests we do not. Many internationally educated nurses experience deskilling and loss of status when they arrive in the UK. 1 5 6 Nurses describe transitioning from highly experienced nurses in their countries of origin to providing predominantly basic care interventions, often working at unregistered nurses level, equivalent to healthcare assistants, with limited opportunities to use their clinical expertise and progress their careers. 5 6 Experiences of discrimination in the work- place, being marginalised, undervalued and overlooked by managers and nursing colleagues are all too commonplace in published studies. 1 3 6 7 Adjusting to new healthcare cultural norms, language differences and colloquialisms in new host countries takes time. Some clinical interventions and interactions with families, including relatives’ roles and social responsibilities in providing care, can be very different from international nurses’ countries of origin. This can come as a culture shock, especially in palliative and end-of-life care situations. The responsibility for supporting successful transitions and equal opportunities for international nurses lies with employers, managers and colleagues. Ugiagbe et al 8 (2023) highlight how this support is uneven or inadequate. Research to date consistently recommends instigating a range of concurrent strategies to value cultural diversity and support workplace integration. This includes precep- torship programmes, continual learning and career devel- opment opportunities, workshops for all staff on working cross-culturally and valuing diversity, alongside tailored long-term mentorship and buddy schemes for international nurses. 1 6 9 NHS England, NHS Employers and numerous NHS Trusts are working together to support, develop and retain international educated nurses in different ways. These initiatives include the International Nurses’ Recruitment Toolkit, 10 Stay and Thrive programme and Pastoral Support Quality Award. Recognising the need to act and better support inter- national nurses in adjusting to working in the commu- nity, The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) partnered with NHS England to develop resources for providers employing internationally educated nurses, often for the first time. 11 In 2023, the QNI released a film show-
10.1136/ebnurs-2024-104158
1 Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK 2 Queen’s Nursing Institute, London, UK 3 Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds, UK
Correspondence to: Dr Ben Bowers; b b527@ medschl.c am.ac.u k
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Opinion
8 Ugiagbe IM , Liu LQ, Markowski M, et al . A critical race analysis of structural and institutional racism: rethinking overseas registered nurses’ recruitment to and working conditions in the United Kingdom. Nurs Inq 2023;30:e12512. 9 O’Callaghan C , Loukas P, Brady M, et al . Exploring the experiences of internationally and locally qualified nurses working in a culturally diverse environment. Aust J Adv Nurs 2018;36:23–34. 10 NHS Employers . International retention toolkit. NHS Employers; 2024. Available: https://www.nhsemployers.org/ system/files/2024-05/international-retention-toolkit-1833.pdf 11 Queen’s Nursing Institute . International recruitment – support for employers. 2024. Available: https://qni.org.uk/nursing-in- the-community/international-recruitment-to-the-community/ support-for-employers/
healthcare workers’ and ward nurses’ experiences. BMC Health Serv Res 2022;22:843. 5 Adhikari R , Melia KM. The (mis)management of migrant nurses in the UK: a sociological study. J Nurs Manag 2015;23:359–67. 6 Smith PA , Allan H, Henry LW, et al . Report from the reoh study: researching equal opportunities for overseas-trained nurses and other healthcare professionals. In: Valuing and recognising the talents of a diverse healthcare workforce . 2006. Available: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Valuing_ and_Recognising_the_Talents_of_a.html?id=NeOt0AEACAAJ& redir_esc=y 7 Alexis O , Vydelingum V, Robbins I. Engaging with a new reality: experiences of overseas minority ethnic nurses in the NHS. J Clin Nurs 2007;16:2221–8.
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Evid Based Nurs Month 2024 | volume 0 | number 0 |
Commentary: Nurse education
Inclusive academic-clinical collaboration overcomes barriers and strengthens nursing education 10.1136/ebnurs-2025-104387
experiences with them, and they contribute their expertise’, highlighting mutual benefit. Barriers included limited interaction among partners, plan- ning challenges and nursing shortages, all of which disrupted collaboration and hindered student support in clinical learning environments. Commentary The study by Dirik et al 1 provides evidence that students are not passive recipients in academic-clinical partnerships, but essential contributors whose inclusion strengthens collaboration and achievement of learning outcomes. Their findings, particularly the theme ‘viewing each member as part of the team’, support the suggestion that students thrive when they are welcomed, respected and treated as future colleagues. 3 Effective communication and timely feedback from assessors and super- visors is critical to student development 1 demonstrated in the theme ‘moti- vating through constructive feedback’, which illustrates how real-time, respectful feedback enhances student confidence and competence. This supports broader research that suggests feedback is most effective when contemporaneous, embedded in daily practice and actionable. 4 The authors of this study 1 note students must demonstrate the ability to respond to feed- back. This reinforces the value of immediate, supportive correction during clinical learning and the need for students to contribute to the collaborative partnership. This study highlights the significance of strong relationships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and practice areas. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), who regulate nursing in the UK, states that approved education institutions and practice learning partners must work collaboratively to provide high-quality learning experiences. 5 When students encounter difficulties in meeting proficiencies or demonstrating professional values, 6 a supportive, collaborative culture with shared responsibility is essential in determining the difference between disengage- ment and development. Conversely, when students excel, recognition and encouragement from both academic and clinical staff reinforce professional identity, reflecting the NMC’s emphasis on inclusive learning environments and effective supervision through close HEI-clinical partnerships. In conclusion, HEIs, practice partners and nursing students must be equally recognised as integral to academic-clinical collaboration. Student success depends on timely feedback, inclusive environments and strong institutional relationships. These partnerships are essential for high-quality nursing education. Competing interests None declared. Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer-reviewed. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. References 1 Dirik HF , Yildirim M, Ozmen S, et al . Academic-clinical collaborative partnerships: A qualitative exploration of facilitators and barriers from the perspectives of nurse academics, clinicians, and students. Nurse Educ Today 2025;149:106674. 2 Tong A , Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care 2007;19:349–57. 3 McTier L , Phillips NM, Duke M. Factors Influencing Nursing Student Learning During Clinical Placements: A Modified Delphi Study. J Nurs Educ 2023;62:333–41. 4 Van der Kleij FM , Lipnevich AA. Student perceptions of assessment feedback: a critical scoping review and call for research. Educ Asse Eval Acc 2021;33:345–73. 5 Nursing and Midwifery Council . Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education. Nursing and Midwifery Council; 2018. Available: https://www.nmc.org. uk/standards-for-education-and-training/standards-framework-for-nursing-and- midwifery-education 6 Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) . Standards of proficiency for registered nurses. 2024. Available: https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/ standards/2024/standards-of-proficiency-for-nurses.pdf
Karen Pattrick School of Health Care, University of Hull, Hull, UK
Correspondence to: Karen Pattrick; K.Pattrick@hull.ac.uk
Commentary on : Dirik et al . Academic-clinical collaborative partnerships: A qualitative exploration of facilitators and barriers from the perspectives of nurse academics, clinicians and students. 2025.
Implications for practice and research
► Strengthening academic-clinical partnerships requires inclusive engagement, shared decision-making and recognising students as valued team members. ► Research should explore how students’ experiences in collaborative environments shape their professional identity and readiness for practice. Context The study 1 was conducted at a major university health campus in western Turkey, involving an accredited nursing faculty and its affiliated teaching hospital. This setting enabled the exploration of academic-clinical part- nerships, strategic collaborations between nursing education institutions and clinical settings aimed at improving education and patient care. The research brought together nursing faculty, clinical nurses and students actively engaged in practice, providing a real-world context to examine how these partnerships function and their significance in nursing education. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore the perspectives of nursing faculty, clinical nurses and students on academic-clinical partner- ships. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 36 purposively selected participants. Interviews were carried out between January and July 2023, in Turkish and later translated into English. Each interview lasted between 20 and 53 min, continuing until data saturation were achieved. The research team followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines 2 to ensure method- ological rigour. Transcripts were analysed using inductive content anal- ysis, allowing themes to emerge from data. To enhance trustworthiness, the team engaged in collaborative coding, participant validation and reflexive discussions to minimise bias. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained, and participant confidentiality was maintained throughout the study. Findings The study identified two overarching themes: facilitators and barriers to academic-clinical collaboration. Facilitators included togetherness, team inclusion, constructive feedback and willingness to engage. These elements helped build strong, productive relationships between nursing faculty, clinicians and students. As one nurse noted, ‘We share our knowledge and
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Evid Based Nurs Month 2026 | volume 0 | number 0 |
Commentary: Nursing issues
Nurses’ resilience depends on organisational, personal and team factors and can be maintained through strategies and interventions across all these levels 10.1136/ebnurs-2025-104344
Commentary The paper provides a comprehensive update which confirms that there is a reduction in an individual’s resilience when nurses are experiencing exhaus- tion, negative psychological states, for example, anxiety, depression, stress and work challenges, concurring with other reviews. 2 Findings highlight the growth in knowledge relating to nurses’ resilience. 2 3 Due to the meta- analysis method chosen by the authors, and the concise narrative oversight, the findings may have omitted smaller insights from included papers. There is also a dominance of Asian-based studies, potentially limiting relevance to some work environments. Useful findings include increased recognition of the workplace as a factor influencing an individual’s resilience. Demographic factors such as employment relationships, impact of COVID-19 on an individual’s circum- stances, workplace locations, work challenges and environmental factors such as violence, bullying, improper practice, an individual’s perception of job demands and resources play a part in a nurse’s resilience. Although there were no conclusive findings, the paper 1 brings into focus the impor- tance of the work environment and its impact on nurses’ resilience. The continued recognition of positivity, to counter the negative and causative factors associated with the need for resilience, is highlighted. Positivity has many similarities with the basis of nursing practice, such as integrity, empathy, courage, kindness, gratitude, forgiveness, humanity, wisdom and knowledge, which originate from humanistic philosophy. 4 5 In determining positive attributes nurses possess for delivering care, this paper brings into focus how positivity should be fostered throughout a nurse’s career to maintain individual resilience. One factor highlighted was the key role that leaders may play in promoting nurses’ resilience in the workplace. Findings suggest that leaders who are viewed as ethical and transformational are considered integral to promoting positivity and mitigating workplace challenges. Behaviours such as recognising work performance, facilitating job satisfaction, promoting career development, being engaged with others and creating social and organisational support were identified as core leadership influences. This review supports the call for organisational nurse leaders to adopt trans- formational leadership attributes and capabilities. 6 Yet it also poses a new question, on how teams within the work environment contribute to positive transformational cultures, where individuals’ resilience may be fostered. Concurring with Cooper et al 3 paper, which asks: what are the responsibil- ities of teams to build and create positive, supportive and transformational cultures, which will assist in fostering resilience? This paper suggests that all nurses should start considering how to develop cohesive team approaches which sustain lifelong resilience. Competing interests None declared. Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. References 1 Yu F , Raphael D, Mackay L, et al . Personal and work-related factors associated with nurse resilience: An updated systematic review using meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. Int J Nurs Stud 2025;166. 2 Castillo-González A , Velando-Soriano A, De La Fuente-Solana EI, et al . Relation and effect of resilience on burnout in nurses: A literature review and meta-analysis. Int Nurs Rev 2024;71:160–7. 3 Cooper AL , Leslie GD, Brown JA. Defining the influence of external factors on nurse resilience. Int J Ment Health Nurs 2022;31:1523–33. 4 Rogers C . Client-centered therapy: its current practice, implications and theory . London: Constable Robinson, 2003. 5 Maslow A . Motivation and personality . 2nd edn. New York: Harper & Row, 1970. 6 ANA Nursing resources Hub . What is transformational leadership in nursing. 2023. Available: https://www.nursingworld.org/content-hub/resources/nursing-leadership/ transformational-leadership-in-nursing/
Elizabeth Cooper School of Nursing, Public Health and Healthcare Leadership, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
Correspondence to: Dr Elizabeth Cooper; ecooper3@bradford.ac.uk
Commentary on : Yu F, Raphael D, Mackay L, et al . Personal and work-related factors associated with nurse resilience: An updated systematic review using meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. Int J Nurs Stud 2025;166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2025. 105054.
Implications for practice and research
► Organisations and leaders need to continue to focus on how teams can create a positive workplace, free from bullying and harassment, and where nurses are prepared for work, have positive relationships and are encouraged to develop professionally. ► Research studies which focus on workplaces in the UK and Europe are required to address the current gap in available papers. Context The paper 1 addresses a critical issue in global healthcare: the resilience of nurses amid increasing job demands, workforce shortages and the unprec- edented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience is framed as a protective personal factor against burnout, stress and turnover, which are major threats to healthcare systems worldwide. Methods This paper 1 describes a thorough approach to undertaking a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The researchers accessed research papers from key databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO, EMBASE and Scopus (January–February 2024), with clear eligibility and exclusion criteria applied and using a validated tool. 1 The results from a meta-analysis of quantitative resilience scales are presented, with an accompanying narra- tive providing a clear amalgamation of the review findings into themes. Findings The review focused on two areas: the association between demographic factors and resilience and a synthesis of job demand and resource factors. The authors 1 provide a nuanced understanding of resilience in nursing, highlighting its multidimensional nature and the interplay between personal attributes and workplace factors. It underscores the urgency of resilience-building interventions to sustain the nursing workforce and improve healthcare quality.
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Evid Based Nurs Month 2026 | volume 0 | number 0 |
Commentary: Nursing issues
Reinvigorating resilience among nurses: the importance of embedding and normalising clinical supervision in everyday nursing practice 10.1136/ebnurs-2025-104445 Kathleen Markey, 1 Melissa Browne 2 1 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, 2 School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, Limerick, Ireland
descriptive statistics, and open-ended question responses were analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings A total of 302 respondents completed the survey: 73 nurses who received RCS, 214 professional nurse advocates who facilitated it and 15 nurse leaders responsible for implementing the RCS programme within their organisations. The majority of respondents were female and identified as ‘White’ ethnicity. Across all groups, respondents reported that RCS was highly effective, highlighting its value in fostering structural and psycho- logical empowerment, resilience and professional growth. Although the low response rate among nurses who received RCS was acknowledged as a limitation, findings across all groups indicate that the programme created safe, supportive spaces that revitalised practice and strengthened engagement and well-being. Respondents also highlighted the importance of protected time and strong organisational commitment to ensure the sustainability of RCS. Commentary The findings of this study 5 concur with the wider evidence illuminating that clinical supervision provides a valued framework of support for both nurses participating in and facilitating the process. 1 Its restorative func- tion 4 creates a safe and supportive space for nurses to express emotional concerns, build confidence and strengthen their professional practice. The low response rate from nurses who availed of RCS is a limitation of this study, as it may restrict the generalisability of findings from this subgroup. Nonetheless, this study 5 underscores the importance of contextualising clin- ical supervision as a process of facilitated reflective dialogue that resonates with individual nurses’ experiences. Reflection enables nurses to step back from routine practice, make sense of their experiences and explore strate- gies to support empowerment and professional resilience. Similar findings have been reported by others, 1 3 reinforcing the value of personalised and structured approaches to clinical supervision. Despite a robust body of evidence demonstrating the value of clinical supervision, its integration into everyday nursing practice remains slow and inconsistent. This underutilisation points to challenges in implementa- tion rather than questions about its effectiveness. To realise its full poten- tial, clinical supervision must be embedded and normalised as a routine aspect of nursing practice. Achieving this requires structural supports such as protected time, managerial support, 2 5 access to facilitators who have engaged in education preparedness for the role, and a workplace culture that values clinical supervision as a means of supporting emotional well- being. 2 3 Competing interests None declared. Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. References 1 Doody O , O’Donnell C, Murphy L, et al . The establishment and value of peer group clinical supervision: A qualitative study of stakeholders’ perspectives. J Clin Nurs 2024;33:4061–76. 2 Ryu H , Buus N, Naccarella L, et al . Factors that influence the clinical supervision implementation for nurses: A scoping review. J Adv Nurs 2025;81:7297–310. 3 Markey K , Murphy L, O’Donnell C, et al . Clinical supervision: A panacea for missed care. J Nurs Manag 2020;28:2113–7. 4 Proctor B . Supervision: A cooperative exercise in accountability. In: Marken M , Payne M, eds. Stories in mental health: Reflection, inquiry, action . Leicester: National Youth Bureau, 1986: 21–3. 5 Lees-Deutsch L , Palmer S, Rodrigues Amorim Adegboye A, et al . Professional nurse advocates and restorative clinical supervision: national survey of programme implementation and impact. BMC Nurs 2025;24:675.
Correspondence to: Dr Kathleen Markey; kathleen.markey@ul.ie
Commentary on : Lees-Deutsch L, Palmer S, Rodrigues Amorim Adegboye A, et al . Professional nurse advocates and restorative clinical supervision: national survey of programme implementation and impact. BMC Nursing 2025;24:675. https://doi.org/10.1186/ s12912-025-03415-z
Implications for practice and research
► Embedding and normalising clinical supervision is critical for empowering nurses and building resilience in complex healthcare settings. ► Further research is needed to examine the enablers and barriers to normalising clinical supervision in everyday practice.
Context There is growing recognition of the need to prioritise strategies that strengthen empowerment, build resilience and enhance well-being among nurses, particularly in response to increasing demands within evolving healthcare environments. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that clinical supervision plays a vital role in strengthening empowerment, nurturing resilience and enhancing job satisfaction among nurses. 1 2 These outcomes not only support nurses’ well-being but also contribute to higher standards of nursing care and improved patient outcomes. 3 Clinical super- vision is defined as encompassing three core functions: formative (focused on learning), normative (standards of care and accountability) and restor- ative (emotional support and promoting well-being). 4 Methods This study 5 used a cross-sectional online survey to explore the effectiveness and impact of restorative clinical supervision (RCS) on nurse empowerment and personal effectiveness. Empowerment theory, which examines relation- ships between organisational structure and empowerment and indicators of positive work feelings, informed the development of the survey. The survey comprised Likert-scale and open-ended questions and explored partici- pants’ demographics, the perceived impact of RCS on nurse empowerment, its effectiveness in improving patient care delivery and its overall benefits. The survey was distributed to nurses working in National Health Service settings across different regions in England who either received RCS, facil- itated RCS sessions or had responsibility for overseeing the implementation of RCS across their organisations. Quantitative data were analysed using
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Evid Based Nurs Month 2025 | volume 0 | number 0 |
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