Table 3.

Description of Qualitative Themes and Illustrative Quotes

Description of qualitative themes	Illustrative quotes
SFA provided a Shared Language to talk about stress within their workgroups. Referencing the stress continuum model in particular, participants valued having an easy way to communicate with their peers about stress.	“Shared verbiage within the team is really beneficial so we can communicate with a similar understanding.”
The program helped Normalize the experience of stress and the difficulties managing stress in the context of occupational demands and the uncertainties and challenges of the pandemic. Participants reported that hearing peers and leadership (team leaders often participated in the group) disclose stressors similar to their own promoted a sense of commonality and an opportunity to share ideas for managing stress and supporting one another.	“We’ve since had some really challenging situations come up and I think it’s helped us come together and support each other and gave us permission to say we aren’t doing.”
Participants were excited to receive the SFA intervention because they anticipated that it would Meet a Need. They reported wanting additional tools to manage their current stress and believed that SFA could provide those tools.	“I was super excited for it because I was really stressed out to the point of dragging myself to work so it would be good to vent and learn new skills.”
Participants felt that receiving the program made them feel Valued as employees.	“It was powerful to know that my supervisor thought this was important enough to approve and spend time on.”
Through discussion of self-care and peer-support ideas, participants felt Empowered to manage their well-being and support their peers.	“I take care of everyone 24/7, so it was nice to have tangible actionable things I could do to take care of myself.”
Participants experienced Increased Connection with their colleagues. Specifically, they noted a shift in the workgroup culture where checking in with each other became part of their routine.	“I am now more apt to reach out to colleagues who were in the training.”
The program made participants more Aware of their stress and the signs of stress in themselves and their peers.	“It helped me be more aware because I didn’t think much about stress and then I’d get really stressed so this helps me better understand.”
The program was Insufficient. Participants discussed wanting more in depth SFA training and having SFA imbedded into their work culture rather than a time-limited program that lacked meaningful scaffolding to promote sustainment. Participants also reported wanting to have learned SFA earlier in the pandemic or as part of their employment onboarding	“Twenty minutes was really rushed to try to learn things and practice them. . . at least we got something though.” “I was really frustrated that we got this at the end of a horrible time. It would have been incredibly beneficial to have gotten this earlier. It was too late. Many people already left the ward.”

SFA = Stress First Aid.