English for Nurses: Wellness versus Well-being

Part 1 - Vocabulary: wellness and wellbeing

Listen to the pronunciation of these terms at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzjvJAH9Ujo. Make a note of any terms you don't know.

• absenteeism
• burnout syndrome
• compassion fatigue
• mindfulness
• optimism
• self-esteem
• self-care
• social isolation
• well-being
• wellness

Part 2 - Match the terms from the vocabulary list with their correct meanings

Part 3 - Listening

Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gXqSV6JqWBI and complete the text. Check your answers with the transcript.

Wellness versus Well-being

Although the terms wellness and well-being have been used interchangeably, there are important differences between the terms.
Wellness is not merely an absence of __________________ or mental illness. It’s also concerned with key areas of self-care which have an impact on physical and mental health. These are:

• social connectedness or daily connection with a friend or _________________________ which helps to reduce a sense of social isolation or loneliness
• exercise: regular exercise can lower blood pressure, boost ____________ and lift mood
• nutrition: _____________________ habits play an important part in physical wellness
• sleep hygiene: practices such as limiting ____________________ at night and establishing a calm sleep environment help to minimise disturbed sleep
• mindfulness: developing awareness of the mind and __________________, usually through meditation. helps to reduce stress 

In contrast, well-being combines all areas of physical and mental wellness as well as linking to ______________________, satisfaction and a sense of purpose in life. Factors which improve a person’s well-being include having healthy 
___________________, an optimistic outlook, an ability to adapt to change and, for some, a spiritual or religious belief. 

Measuring wellbeing can be difficult, as it is subjective. This means that each of us defines wellbeing relative to our own circumstances. To measure mental wellbeing, measurement tools use positively worded items to evaluate levels of positive mental well-being, e.g. feeling ________________________ about the future, dealing with problems well and feeling close to other people. 

In the healthcare environment, self-assessment tools measure healthcare workers’ professional __________________ and satisfaction with the workplace, e.g. being able to take breaks at work, having regular, helpful supervision and having time at work to talk with colleagues. The implementation of well-being programs in the workplace helps to improve hospital staff retention rates, ________________ absenteeism and address ___________________ syndrome and compassion fatigue.