Nancy Pike, UC Irvine nursing professor and associate dean for research, and chair of the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, is the lead author of a recent scientific statement on the state of nursing well-being.  In the paper, recently published online in the Journal of the American Heart Association, she and her collaborators discuss the demanding nature of the profession and the unprecedented pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to widespread burnout. To address this challenge, a renewed emphasis on “nursing wellness” is emerging. Key strategies include enhancing work environments and opportunities for professional growth, bolstering teaching resources and providing increased research support, mentorship and fair compensation. “Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, with cardiovascular and stroke nursing among the largest specialties requiring advanced expertise to deliver safe, high-quality patient care,” Pike said. “As healthcare evolves, prioritizing nursing wellness is essential to ensuring better outcomes for all – patients, colleagues and the broader system.”