Resilience in Stressful Events
Hospital Peer-to-Peer Support
At Johns Hopkins, we recognize that supporting caregivers is fundamental to delivering exceptional patient care. Caring for the Caregiver: Implementing RISE (Resilience in Stressful Events) is a comprehensive, evidence-informed initiative designed to help hospitals establish robust peer-to-peer support systems for their teams.
A Smarter Way to Manage Chronic Care
Why It’s Needed
The demands of healthcare can take a significant emotional toll on providers. While most clinicians are resilient, unexpected patient outcomes, challenging interactions or workplace conflicts can leave even seasoned professionals feeling vulnerable. Without timely, structured support, these “second victims” may struggle with decreased confidence, lower productivity or even long-term emotional distress.
Despite the high-pressure environment of healthcare, most organizations do not have formal mechanisms to assist staff after distressing events. This absence can contribute to burnout, emotional fatigue and diminished job satisfaction. Informal support is often inconsistent, and many staff members are left to cope alone.
Caring for the Caregiver offers a structured, accessible framework for peer support, enabling teams to respond with empathy and effectiveness when colleagues need it most.
Program Components
How it Works
Caring for the Caregiver is delivered as a two-day, “train-the-trainer” workshop led by Johns Hopkins specialists. The curriculum walks hospital leaders and multidisciplinary teams through the process of building and maintaining a sustainable peer support network.
Program resources include:
- The RISE Assessment Roadmap (a digital checklist for implementation)
- Sample policies, organizational charts, resource guides and case examples
- Interactive quizzes, forms and templates to recruit and train peer supporters
- Practice exercises, expert tips and video content
The workshop is designed to be adaptable and practical for organizations of any size.
Program Components
Approaches for securing leadership endorsement and overcoming operational barriers
Best practices for selecting and retaining peer responders
Hands-on skill development for effective support
Guidance for launching and maintaining the program over time
Caring for the Caregiver
Implementation
Participants receive comprehensive training manuals and ongoing guidance to guarantee successful adoption.
- Phase 1: Implementation Training for leadership, quality/safety, and risk management teams
- Phase 2: Peer Responder Training for staff volunteers (typically 4–8 months after Phase 1)
This phased approach ensures both leaders and peer responders are equipped to provide meaningful support.
Healthcare Workforce Support
Caring for the Caregiver is a research-driven strategy designed to enhance staff resilience and organizational well-being. By combining expert instruction with actionable tools, the program empowers healthcare organizations to foster a culture of mutual support and psychological safety.
Developed by a multidisciplinary team at Johns Hopkins (including Albert Wu, M.D., Matt Norvell, MDiv., and heryl Connors, D.N.P., R.N., N.E.A.-B.C.), the program reflects the latest insights in healthcare workforce support.
Is This Product Right For Your Practice?
Caring for the Caregiver is designed for hospitals and healthcare organizations that want to:
- Provide structured support after adverse or stressful events
- Reduce staff burnout and promote well-being
- Build a culture of resilience, safety and peer connection
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Give your staff the resources they need to recover, grow and continue delivering outstanding care.