Peer support app for nurses to tackle “critical need” for mental health support

A US wellness and peer support app has announced a partnership to offer travel nurses free access to peer support.

The HearMe pilot programme in collaboration with Ingenovis Health, a group representing US healthcare companies, will provide an anonymous space for nurses to connect with trained listeners who have a background in nursing and healthcare.

The company says the new app will allow nurses to receive 24/7 text-based mental wellness and support from HearMe listeners who are trained in peer-to-peer support and understand the challenges and pressures nurses face daily.

During this pilot project, the HearMe app will be offered to nearly 200 travel nurses based at the New York City hospital working for Fastaff Travel Nursing, a company part of Ingenovis Health.

According to a study by McKinsey from May 2022, 29 per cent of responding RNs in the US indicated they were likely to leave their current role in direct patient care, with many respondents noting their intent to leave the workforce entirely.

While there are over three million nurses currently employed in the US, 86 per cent of them are women and only 14 per cent are men, highlighting persisting gender disparities in the healthcare system.

The Fastaff programme developed by HearMe aims to provide nurses a space to feel supported, empowering them to prioritise their mental health and wellness without stigma. The app uses peer listening support to help people connect and take care of their wellbeing.

A recent study by Penn State, Stanford University, The University of Mississippi, and Northwell Health showed a 57 per cent increase in mood after a conversation with a HearMe listener, according to the New-York-based company.

“Our programme has gathered extraordinarily trained listeners from the nursing profession who know what it’s like to be caregivers on the frontlines,” said HearMe founder and CEO, Adam Lippin.

“Nurses we’ve heard from have expressed a disconnect when discussing daily struggles that nurses face even if they are in therapy.

“HearMe is proud to provide an immediate, accessible, and human-centric platform for nurses to feel seen and heard by someone who’s actually been in their shoes.

“Fastaff recognised the critical need for wellness support, and we’re thrilled to partner together on a solution.”

Denise Triba, chief human resources officer at Ingenovis Health, said: “We are pleased to partner with HearMe and pilot its peer counselling app with nurses in a large New York City facility.

“Our goal is to see a positive impact with this small group that would compel us to offer the platform to all nurses and clinicians across the Ingenovis Health family, a universe of about 10,000 annually.”