Graduation Year

2022

Degree Type

Open Access Capstone

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Molly Bradshaw-O'Neal

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Second Advisor

Wanda France

Department Affiliation

Nursing

Abstract

Abstract

As part of the educational training provided to nursing students it is important to not only provide information regarding stress management, but also to give them tools that they can use to handle stressful situations more effectively. Literature supports the use of mindfulness techniques practiced regularly to decrease stress and anxiety. This DNP project developed, implemented, and evaluated the addition of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques into the curriculum of the first-year Medical Surgical nursing course in a prelicensure Associate Degree Nursing program. The project was guided by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring and the Model for Improvement (PDSA Cycle) was used to direct the design and implementation. Data was collected pre/post intervention and again at an eight-week follow up. Quantitative data was collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (ASQ). Qualitative information was gathered using open ended questions. Providing the students with MBSR techniques, early in their nursing education, will allow them to utilize the skill for stress mitigation in both their nursing education and their professional careers. Results of the project showed no decrease from pretest to post test in when looking at the entire group. Both tests had a statistically significant decrease when looking at the subgroup of students whose scores decreased (PSS: p = 0.000012; ASQ: p = 0.0014). This was not maintained at the 8 week follow up. While the project did not demonstrate statistical significance for the entire group the quantitative data combined with the qualitative data supported the clinical significance of the project.

Keywords: mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), nursing, students, stress, anxiety

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

4787

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