EP 119: Creating a Healthy Workforce by Putting Nurse Well-Being First

In this episode of the Coffee Break Podcast, Dr. Renee Thompson chats with Kristen Gilmore, the Program Manager for Nurse Well-Being at Jefferson Health, about what nurse well-being looks like when it’s thoughtfully designed and fully integrated into the workplace. Kristen shares how her inaugural, grant-funded role supports nurses across all career stages – from new graduate nurses to nurse leaders. The conversation explores how Jefferson Health embeds well-being directly into clinical environments through nurse coaching and therapy-based programs, including pet, music, and art therapy, without disrupting patient care. Listeners will gain insight into why stress drives incivility and turnover, how proactive support improves retention, and why investing in nurse well-being is a leadership responsibility, not a perk. What You’ll Learn in This Episode What an effective nurse well-being role actually looks like How therapy-based programs support nurses during their shifts Why stress fuels incivility and unhealthy work cultures How nurse coaching strengthens new graduate confidence and retention Why leadership well-being is essential to workforce stability About Kristen Gilmore Kristen Gilmore, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, NE-BC, NC-BC, is the inaugural Program Manager for Nurse Well-Being at Jefferson Health, supporting the Bucks, Frankford, Einstein Montgomery, and Torresdale campuses. She has a background in emergency nursing and nursing leadership and is deeply committed to advancing clinician well-being. Kristen serves as President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and chairs the ENA National Wellness Committee. She is a board-certified nurse coach, Certified SMART Practitioner, national speaker, and co-author in the Journal of Emergency Nursing. Her work focuses on integrating evidence-informed well-being strategies into real-world clinical settings. Links & Resources Email Kristen: [email protected] Connect with Kristen on LinkedIn Download your copy of our 33 Scripts to Address Disruptive Behavior When You Don’t Know What to Say Check out Renee Thompson’s newly revised book and #1 Amazon Best Seller Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility: Strategies for Front Line Leaders here! Check out Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! Strategies to Protect and Bully-proof Yourself at Work here!  Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here! Have a question for Renee? Email us at [email protected] to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode! Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases. Liked this episode? Rate, review, and share with your colleagues. Your support helps us reach more healthcare leaders working to create better work environments.