Decision making in the nurse practice environment is a dynamic conceptual process that may affect patient outcomes. Nurses need to call upon ways of knowing to make sound decisions and should be self-reflective in order to develop the process further in the professional arena. The need for further research is discussed.

Providing opportunities for ED nurses in skills training in constructive conflict resolution may help to reduce work stress and to improve the quality of patient care.

A curriculum was designed and implemented for nurse managers to develop and optimize emotional mastery skills. The program is outlined, implementation strategies were discussed, results were measured, and outcomes were reviewed. Outcomes from this program support the value and impact that nursing professional development specialists have on the development of nursing leadership. Nursing professional development specialists will find the curricula useful in addressing emotional mastery skill development in their organizations.

Aim The aim of this work is to examine staffing, personal protective equipment (PPE) adequacy and physical exhaustion that contributed to burnout and intent to leave among hospital nurses during the first peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background Burnout is associated with adverse nurse and patient outcomes. Identifying the magnitude of burnout that occurred during the pandemic can prepare managers for the long‐term mental health effects on nurses. Methods A cross‐sectional, electronic survey was administered to examine perceptions of burnout and intent to leave among all New Jersey hospital nurses from October 6 to October 26, 2020. Results A total of 3030 nurses responded with 64.3% reporting burnout and 36.5% reporting intent to leave the hospital within a year. There was a significant association between high levels of burnout and intent to leave ( χ 2 = 329.4; p = .001). There was no association between staffing and burnout; however, reporting inadequate PPE (OR = 1.77 [95% CI: 1.34–2.34]) and physical exhaustion (OR = 3.89 [95% CI: 3.19–4.76]) remained predictors of burnout among nurses. Conclusion Inadequate PPE and physical exhaustion coupled with short staffing contributed to burnout and intent to leave. Implications for Nursing Management Managers should continue to utilize evidence‐based mental health interventions and advocate within their nursing professional organizations for relief funds to reduce burnout.