Relief
At the start of the pandemic, the Foundation’s initial relief efforts focused on four areas to address the immediate needs of nurses impacted by the pandemic.
Stephanie S., RN, CCRN, Medical ICU, Critical Care
I'm smiling in this photo because … this was a good day. It also gives me a smile thinking how nice it is the Amish community here in Ohio made thousands of masks for healthcare workers. I'm also making more cloth masks for my colleagues, since I'm self-quarantined because of my exposure risk and I have lots of time on my hands and a ton of scrap fabric!
Providing the latest evidence-based information
The Foundation uses the Fund to invest in science and data-based materials and tools to ensure all nurses have access to consistent and timely information.
Explore our COVID-19 Resource Center »
Providing direct financial support
Generous support from donors enabled the Foundation to partner with Nurses House to grant a total of $2.6 million in financial assistance to nurses facing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
Learn about direct financial assistance »
Prioritizing mental well-being
Even before the pandemic, nurses experienced extraordinary levels of stress in their day-to-day work. The mental and emotional impact of the COVID-19 crisis, from burnout to PTSD, has devasted our nation’s nurses.
The Well-Being Initiative offers free resources and tools that support nurses’ mental health and well-being, increasing their self-care and resiliency.
Learn about our approach to mental health support »
Advocating for nurses and those they serve
Funding from the Foundation is helping drive national advocacy focused on nurses and patients. From advocating on nurses’ behalf to Congress to sharing survey data that informs federal agencies’ COVID response planning, the Foundation is helping influence policy and change.
Our nurse advocacy focuses on critical areas »
Emily B., RN, BSN, PCCN
It has been extremely hard to watch critical patients sit in isolation, not being allowed to have their families with them; for some, they took their last breaths alone. One of the first patients I had in our COVID ICU had just given consent to be intubated and be placed on a ventilator in order to manage his respiratory distress. In between him struggling to breathe, I could see the fear in his eyes as he asked me if he would ever see his wife and kids again; this truly broke my heart. All I could do in that moment was tell him that we are all in this together and that we will fight this disease with everything we have. That night driving home from work was the first night I cried and it has not been the last.