Strategies to enhance mental health and psychological resilience in the nursing workforce: A scoping review

Abstract

Aim

This scoping review aimed to systematically map and synthesize existing evidence on strategies designed to enhance mental health and resilience among nurses, spanning individual, organizational, educational, and policy-level interventions.

Methods

Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, refined by Levac et al., and guided by PRISMA-ScR standards, a comprehensive search was conducted across five electronic databases and gray literature sources. Eligible studies included empirical research and policy documents published in English between 2015 and 2025. Data were extracted using an Excel-based template, and methodological quality was appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Narrative and thematic synthesis were employed to categorize strategies into key domains.

Results

The synthesis identified four overarching themes: (1) individual-focused strategies such as mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral approaches, and resilience training; (2) organizational strategies including supportive leadership, workload adjustments, and structured peer support; (3) educational and training interventions such as resilience curricula, simulation-based training, and mentorship; and (4) policy and system-level strategies encompassing occupational health protections, welfare programs, and regulatory frameworks. These multilevel approaches demonstrated varying degrees of effectiveness, but sustainability and integration into routine practice remained inconsistent.

Conclusion

Building a resilient nursing workforce requires integrated, multilevel strategies. Resilience should be reframed as a shared responsibility across individuals, organizations, and systems to safeguard nurse well-being, improve patient outcomes, and ensure the sustainability of healthcare services.