Helping the helpers: Fleming College launches research on resilience in nursing

2 hours ago 1
Fleming College Faculty Members Jill Henderson MN, RN; Wendy Morgan, MA-Ed, MA-CPFleming College Faculty Members Jill Henderson MN, RN; Wendy Morgan, MA-Ed, MA-CP GNW

Article content

Peterborough, ON, Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fleming College has been awarded $357,033 by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in collaboration with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The funding is provided through the College and Community Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF), one of the main grant types under the tri-agency College and Community Innovation (CCI) program.

Financial Post

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

  • Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.
  • Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.
  • Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.
  • National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
  • Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

  • Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.
  • Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.
  • Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.
  • National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
  • Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

  • Access articles from across Canada with one account.
  • Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
  • Enjoy additional articles per month.
  • Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

  • Access articles from across Canada with one account
  • Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
  • Enjoy additional articles per month
  • Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

or

Article content

Article content

The grant will fund a three-year applied research project aimed at improving nurse well-being at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) through structured resilience training. The funding announcement was made on October 31 by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Article content

Article content

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

Article content

The project is led by Fleming College faculty members Jill Henderson, MN, RN; Wendy Morgan, MA-Ed, MA-CP; and Melissa Sherrer, MN, RN, from Fleming’s School of Health and Community Services. They are joined by Dr. Michael Ungar, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience at Dalhousie University.

Article content

“The nursing workforce in Canada faces severe challenges with devastating rates of burnout and projected shortages,” said Dr. Theresa Knott, Acting Co-President, Fleming College. “A recent poll from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions reports 40 per cent of nurses intend to leave the profession within the next year. This funding will help address these workforce pressures and strengthen the future of health care in Ontario and across the country.”

Article content

Article content

The CCSIF-funded project builds on a successful pilot study led by Henderson and Morgan, previously funded by NSERC. In that study, the duo delivered resilience training to fourth-semester students in Fleming’s Practical Nursing program. Their research demonstrated clear benefits: participants reported improvements in overall mental health, increased self-awareness, better emotional regulation, and greater confidence in managing stress. Many also valued the group-based support.

Article content

With this new funding, the research team will adapt and expand their resilience training model to support nurses at PRHC and study the impact of the training over time. The goal is to support nurses’ psychological well-being, reduce burnout, and strengthen job satisfaction, which are all factors that play a critical role in improving retention and patient care outcomes. The study offers a scalable training model to shape best practices in nurse support provincially and nationally.

Article content

“Fleming College is proud to support the well-being of nurses already in the field through this important new resilience training,” continued Dr. Knott. “While we remain committed to preparing career-ready nurses through our academic programs, this applied research project allows us to make a direct, meaningful impact on those currently serving in our healthcare system. It’s a response to real needs in our community.”

Read Entire Article