Strategies and resources for nurse leaders to use to lead with empathy and prudence so they understand and address sources of anxiety among nurses practising in the era of COVID-19.

Aims: Identify strategies and resources for nurse leaders to use to lead with empathy and prudence to improve quality of care and to ease the psychological toll on nurses caring for patients with COVID-19.

Background: In a 2020 report, clinicians caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic said their healthcare leaders needed to: 'hear me, protect me, prepare me, support me, and care for me'. These words provide an action plan for nurse leaders to communicate, educate and support nurses to practice competently and safely (physically and mentally) in the context of COVID-19.