Addressing the use of individual resilience as a form of gaslighting in healthcare organisations

Paul Linsley, Beth Jones

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

While resilience is often promoted by healthcare organisations as a personal coping strategy, this approach risks overlooking systemic issues and structural inequalities that significantly affect staff well-being. This article critically explores the growing emphasis on resilience as a strategy for managing the stresses and demands experienced by nurses. It also examines how an overreliance on resilience can shift responsibility from organisations to individuals, potentially distorting perceptions of harm and internalising blame. Although the authors acknowledge the value of resilience, they advocate for a more balanced and integrated approach that combines individual resilience with organisational accountability and collective action to support the nursing workforce more effectively.
Original languageEnglish
Article number41408778
JournalNursing Standard
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Dec 2025

Keywords

  • burnout, mental health, nurses’ well-being, organisational culture, professional, professional issues, staff welfare, stress, workforce
  • mental health
  • nurses well-being
  • organisational culture
  • professional
  • professional issues
  • staff welfare
  • stress
  • workforce

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