Integrating Mindfulness into Nursing Practice: A Strategy to Reduce Stress, Prevent Burnout, and Build Resilience

Authors: Alexandra Gutman, Judith Quaranta

Field of Study: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Faculty Mentors: Judith Quaranta

Easel: 44

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: Undergraduate nursing students frequently experience significant academic and clinical stress, which may contribute to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and decreased well-being during training. Early resilience-building strategies may help students develop adaptive coping skills before entering professional practice.This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluates a structured mindfulness-based intervention integrated into an undergraduate nursing course. The intervention consisted of four brief mindfulness sessions that introduced concepts in stress physiology, present-moment awareness, emotional regulation, self-compassion, cognitive reframing, and mindful communication. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was used. Participants completed three validated instruments before the first session and after the final session: the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey for Students (MBI-GS-S). Data analysis is in progress. Findings will inform the integration of mindfulness-based interventions into nursing education to promote students’ resilience.