ABSTRACT
Resilience is a psychological characteristic that can be viewed as a trait or a modifiable characteristic that can be learned through behavioral change. There have been ten psychological characteristics of resilience that can be thought of as learnable capacities, which include optimism, developing a personal moral compass, developing cognitive flexibility, having resilient role models or mentors, developing a toolkit of active coping skills, learning to face fear, humor, altruism, developing and nurturing a social support system, and staying physically fit through exercise. There is also evidence that greater levels of resilience in nurses are associated with fewer symptoms of psychological distress and improved functioning as a bedside nurse, improved personal and professional relationships, and overall satisfaction with life. This chapter will explore the broader concept of resilience, moral resilience, and organizational resilience. It will also introduce evidence related to individual nurse resilience and the development of burnout syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Finally, preliminary data on a multimodal resilience intervention in nurses will be discussed.
