FORTIFY: A nurse practitioner leadership framework for embedding organizational wellness as infrastructure

ABSTRACT: Workforce distress, burnout, and moral injury threaten the stability and sustainability of health systems. Nurse practitioners (NPs), trained in prevention, systems thinking, and holistic care, are uniquely positioned to reframe wellness as a leadership imperative rather than a reactive initiative. This article introduces the FORTIFY Framework, an evidence-informed model that embeds prevention, recovery, and accountability into daily operations. Rooted in trauma-informed leadership and positive psychology, FORTIFY equips NPs to integrate wellness into policy, education, and practice design. Elevating wellness to a professional standard affirms its foundational role in clinical excellence, workforce vitality, and the future of nursing leadership.