Nurses face emotional, psychological, and physical stressors throughout the workday. They provide essential clinical care in environments characterized by rigid protocols, chronic understaffing, and repeated exposure to trauma and human suffering. Although significant attention has been given to the well-being of the patients they serve, the well-being of nurses remains critically underaddressed. These and other occupational stressors can contribute to burnout and compassion fatigue.

This webinar explores the unique occupational stressors nurses face, with a focus on distinguishing burnout from compassion fatigue. Participants will complete a structured self-assessment to identify personal risk factors and recognize early warning signs. The session also guides participants in developing an individualized action plan using evidence-based strategies to strengthen resilience and support long-term professional well-being. Attendees will leave with practical tools they can apply in their daily practice to promote personal well-being and foster a healthier work environment.

• Apply criteria to differentiate between burnout and compassion fatigue in correctional nursing practice
• Use a structured self-assessment tool to evaluate personal risk factors and early warning signs of burnout and compassion fatigue
• Develop an individualized action plan that includes evidence-based strategies to support personal well-being and resilience
• Select and propose at least one organizational strategy to support nurse well-being within their practice setting

Ms. Brenda Fields serves as Centurion’s clinical learning and development manager for mental health. She has more than 31 years of nursing experience, including more than 23 years in correctional health care. She earned her licensed practical nurse certificate in 1994 and associate degree in nursing in 1996 from Wallace Community College in Selma, Alabama, and a bachelor’s degree in health information management from Alabama State University in 2002.

Ms. Fields began her correctional health care career as a quality assurance manager and, over the past 23 years, has served as director of nursing, assistant program manager, clinical operations associate, and clinical education manager. She has developed and delivered psychiatric nursing education for correctional nurses and is a frequent speaker at NCCHC conferences.

Ms. Fields is board certified in psychiatric-mental health nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center and is a registered health information administrator through the American Health Information Management Association. She is also certified as a suicide prevention provider through the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and serves on the NCCHC Nurse Advisory Council and the NCCHC Foundation Board of Trustees.

Ms. Ranee’ Maree’ Wright is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner at the Wisconsin Resource Center. She has 22 years of experience as a psychiatric nurse in correctional health care and also holds a Master of Science in forensic nursing. Ms. Wright has published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care, including the article “The Relationship Among Secondary Trauma, Self-Efficacy, and Correctional Nurses.” She completed Master Resilience Training through the Center for Suicide Awareness and is a member of the Nurses Caring for Nurses Mutual Interest Group of the Wisconsin Nurses Association.