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Nurses’ mental health app: a free resource with bespoke support

How our app is proving effective in boosting the mental well-being of beleaguered staff, and is helping to combat burnout and chronic stress among nurses

How our app is proving effective in boosting the mental well-being of beleaguered staff, and is helping to combat burnout and chronic stress among nurses

Karen Storey, nursing retention and liaison lead, and Rebecca Howard, chief executive of ShinyMind

ShinyMind is the only mental health and well-being app co-created, developed and tested in partnership with NHS employees at all levels.

ShinyMind app: free mental health support designed for nurses

The new nursing version provides more than 150 resources, tools and exercises to support well-being . It was launched in November 2022 and is available free of charge to nurses, midwives, nursing associates and healthcare support workers.

The app and its resources have been created in collaboration with nurses, midwives and nursing organisations, including the Florence Nightingale Foundation, the Foundation of Nursing Studies, the Cavell Nurses’ Trust, NHS England and NHS Improvement.

For almost 20 years, most of ShinyMind’s work has involved supporting the NHS and its staff. It is more important than ever that support is available. The stark reality is that huge pressures exist in the system, built up over many years, even before the additional devastating blow of COVID-19.

We repeatedly hear stories of burnout and of committed and talented people leaving the profession due to stress and anxiety. While coaching nurses across the country, I have heard sad and harrowing stories of anxiety, struggle and helplessness.

But I also hear many more stories of strength, courage, positivity and passion for their profession. We never know when our loved ones will need nurses’ support, but we trust that they will be there in our time of need, always doing their best for us.

Picture: iStock

Research supports the app’s effectiveness

At ShinyMind, we felt that it was important to give nurses support in return. Nurses deserve a resource they can trust to support them when they need help.

The ShinyMind app contains resources that support nurses’ well-being and mental health, allowing them to have the positivity and mindset to continue working in the job they love, and on which we all depend.

We know that ShinyMind can and does help. We have been gathering evidence of its effectiveness for more than five years. This has been through live sessions with more than 3,000 NHS employees, independent research and testing, and vital collaboration with the professions it’s created for.

‘Nurses are good at looking after others but not so good at looking after themselves. This is a key reason why burnout is endemic in the profession, and why many nurses’ cups are about to run dry – if they haven’t already’

Our latest research involving 400 nurses shows that 94% felt better after using it, 77% felt better at managing their mental health and all of them would recommend it to other nurses.

‘ShinyMind is part of my mental health kitbag’

Steve Hams Picture: Stephen Shepherd

North Bristol NHS Trust chief nursing officer Steve Hams is on the nursing advisory board for the app and has first-hand experience of being supported by ShinyMind.

‘I have been fairly open about my mental health. I have had two experiences of poor mental health and more recently anxiety and depression coming out of the pandemic.

‘ShinyMind has helped my recovery this time round and I think it’s truly special. The ‘inspire me’ messages I get at impromptu times during the day are comforting and make me smile.

‘ShinyMind’s ‘daily shine’ feature helps me reflect on what has gone well and what could have been better. The masterclasses really set this app way above the others – sleep, self-compassion and coping with anxiety are the ones I’ve used most.

‘ShinyMind is in my kitbag now. My mental health is my superpower and defines me – and ShinyMind is a fantastic, supportive app.’

Burnout is endemic in nursing

I was proud to be joined by more than 1,000 nurses, speakers and leaders across the country for the launch of the new nursing version of our ShinyMind mental health and well-being app.

The theme was ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’ and that’s the reality for many nurses. Nurses are good at looking after others but sometimes not so good at looking after themselves. This is a key reason why burnout is endemic within the profession, and why many nurses’ cups are about to run dry – if they haven’t already.

The nursing version of ShinyMind aims to help nurses to refill their cups, be kinder to themselves, increase understanding of self and help build positive growth mindset. It also provides resources for professional practical needs, such as reflective supervision and continuing professional development.

Our launch is just the beginning. We already have the support of the nursing profession. The next stage of the journey is to reach every member of the wider nursing community, to collaborate in creating exciting resources to help support mental health and well-being in the country’s most trusted profession.


Download the ShinyMind app

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