DescriptionPurpose of Project: To improve the utilization of mindfulness exercises among undergraduate and graduate nursing students by using the Calm app for at least 10 minutes daily for four weeks.
Methodology: A non-randomized, convenient sample was recruited via email at a nursing school in a public university in New Jersey. Before, during and after implementing the mindfulness intervention, participants were asked to complete an electronic Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) survey in order to measure its effectiveness. The participants were also asked how much time was spent using the Calm app daily and what feature of mindfulness was used from calming, deep breathing and meditation.
Results: The findings from the study showed that there was statistical significance between improvements in the nursing students perceived stress scores before and after implementing the mindfulness intervention. Additionally, the more time students spent using minduflness daily, the lower their PSS scores. There was no statistical significance beween using the different features of mindfulness on the PSS scores.
Implications for Practice: Significant results for nursing practice were obtained from this project. Using a mindfulness-based intervention for nursing students deemed beneficial in reducing stress levels. The stress of dealing with a highly demanding work and educational environment can lead to serious consequences. As a result, an intervention, such as mindfulness, is necessary to promote self-care, reduce burnout and as a result improve patient care outcomes.