title: Residential aged care nurses: portraits of resilience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore residential aged care nurses working in interim, rehabilitation and residential aged care perceptions of resilience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative Portraiture methodology. Inclusion criteria were that all participants were English speaking, registered with the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Authority and had more than five years' experience working in an aged care environment. Three participants were interviewed and employed within a metropolitan interim, rehabilitation and aged care setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight themes were identified: valuing social support; leadership, managing 'self'; 'paying it forward'; passion for the profession; focusing on the positive and the taking on of challenge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper focuses on the impact of aged care nursing work on nurses and in particular how the nurses remain resilient in their work environment. Resilience can be developed through education and can sustain professional longevity. Workload stress can be alleviated through the provision of resilience training.
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Vicki Catherine
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Cope
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Bronwyn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing and Midwifery, Edith Cowan University , Joondalup , Western Australia , Australia.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: portraiture; qualitative methodology; residential aged care nurses; resilience