What is the 'Whole Nurse' approach?

The 'Whole Nurse' approach is a concept that integrates design thinking, self-healing practices, and a sense of belonging in nursing to address critical challenges within the profession. This approach advocates for treating nurses as both caregivers and innovators to improve patient care and job satisfaction.

How can psychological safety prevent burnout in nursing?

Cultivating psychological safety in nursing means creating an environment where nurses feel secure to express themselves, take risks, and collaborate without fear of negative consequences. When nurses are supported in this way, it can help counter burnout, enhance job satisfaction, and improve retention.

Why is reframing the nurse's role important?

Reframing the nurse's role to include innovation as well as caregiving is crucial because it positions nurses as key contributors to healthcare solutions. This perspective fosters career growth, enhances patient outcomes, and drives professional satisfaction by allowing nurses to implement creative problem-solving in their work.

The Whole Nurse: Design Thinking, Self-heal...

The Whole Nurse: Design Thinking, Self-healing, and Transformational Belonging

The episode of the 'Care Anywhere Podcast' hosted by Lea Sims features Kathryn Shaffer discussing a holistic approach to nursing education and practice. The conversation highlights design thinking, self-healing, and fostering belonging as strategies to address urgent nursing challenges. Through these methods, they aim to counter burnout and empower the nursing workforce.

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By Lea Sims · September 2, 2025, 9:13 AM UTCBelongingBurnout PreventionCare AnywhereDesign Thinking

Key takeaways

The 'Whole Nurse' approach integrates design thinking and self-healing into nursing.

Emphasizing psychological safety and community can prevent burnout and strengthen workforce retention.

Reframing the nurse's role as both caregiver and innovator transforms patient outcomes.

In this episode of Care Anywhere: The Global Health Workforce Podcast, host Lea Sims, Chief Marketing Officer of TruMerit, welcomes Kathryn Shaffer, EdD, RN, MSN, CNE, CCFP, Director of Innovation at Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Nursing. Kathryn brings a distinctive perspective on reimagining nursing education and practice through a holistic, self-healing lens.

The conversation explores her “Whole Nurse” approach—an integration of design thinking, self-healing practices, and a deep sense of belonging that addresses the profession’s most urgent challenges. Drawing from her academic leadership and front-line experience, Kathryn discusses how reframing the nurse’s role as both caregiver and innovator can transform patient outcomes and career satisfaction alike.

Lea and Kathryn also examine how cultivating psychological safety, creative problem-solving skills, and supportive communities can counter burnout, strengthen workforce retention, and inspire the next generation of nurse leaders. From embedding wellness strategies into curricula to fostering collaboration across disciplines, the episode offers actionable insights for building a sustainable, empowered nursing workforce.

With equal parts inspiration and practical guidance, this conversation challenges the traditional boundaries of nursing, showing how personal well-being and professional excellence are not competing priorities but essential partners in advancing care.

Tune in to the full episode at trumerit.org/podcast or on your favorite podcast platform