How to balance graduate school and life responsibilities: an - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

How to balance graduate school and life responsibilities: an evidenced based approach Amber Vermeesch & Patricia Cox University of Portland School of Nursing

The authors have no relevant disclosures

Objectives 1. Identify graduate school stressors advanced practice nursing students. 2. Define MBSR inventions for reduction in perceived stress 3. Explore MBSR interventions for reduction in perceived stress. 4. Discuss results from on-going research study exploring effects of MBSR intervention to reduce perceived stress.

Background • Graduate nursing students face unique challenges that contribute to their perception of stress (Baldwin, 2013; Kenty, 2000; Mancini, Lavecchia, & Clegg, 1983; Maville, Kranz, & Tucker, 2004; Reilly & Fitzpatrick, 2009, Sochalski & Weiner, 2011) • Empowering graduate nursing students to ease perception of stress may be beneficial (Conley et al., 2015; Regehr et al., 2013) • Mind-body-stress-reduction (MBSR) may play a role in decreasing graduate nursing students’ perception of stress

Graduate School Stressors • Graduate studies have potential to be stressful • Specifically, graduate nursing students: – Financial considerations – Time management issues – Work-related demands – Family obligations, – Changing roles from RN to APRN

Audience question • Who is/has been in graduate school? • What are/were stressors & concerns? • What coping mechanisms do/did you find effective?

Audience question • Who is/has been in a workplace? • What are/were stressors & concerns? • What coping mechanisms do/did you find effective?

Workplace ->Schoolplace • Literature regarding healthy workplace environments can be applied to graduate school environment: – Environmental settings such as workplaces can positively affect health status (Sallis, Floyd, Rodriguez, & Saelens, 2012). – Workplace environments more conducive to adopting healthy behaviors aid in improved quality of life, decrease stress, improved overall employee satisfaction, and favorably influence clinical outcomes (i.e. obesity, blood pressure) (Després, Almeras, & Lise, 2014).

MBSR • Stress reduction interventions – yoga – breath work – meditation – mindfulness

Figure 1 . Vermeesch, A. Cactus Flowers Tucson, Arizona. May 19, 2018 MBSR Definition of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. (https://www.mindful.org/downloads/your-guide-to- meditation.pdf)

MBSR Apps and resources Calm (http://calm.com) Headspace (http://headspace.com) Mental Workout (http://mentalworkout.com) Omvana- Meditation for All (http://www.omvana.com) Simple Habit Meditation (http://bit.ly/SimpleHabit-Meditation) Smiling Mind App (http://bit.ly/smiling-mind-app) Stop, Breathe, & Think (http://stopbreathethink.org)

Current Study • IRB approved • Informed consent • Nurse educator • DNP-FNP students • Your Guide to Meditation booklet • Mindfulness App - Choice of free apps • Data collection began in May 2018

Methods • Complete demographic survey • Complete PSS • Read “Your Guide to Meditation booklet” • Download a Mindfulness app – Choice of free apps • Perform a daily mindfulness activity using the Mindfulness app • Complete a Mindfulness Experience Satisfaction tool

Results • Time 1 and Time 2 did show a trend in reduction in PSS scores • Positive correlation between hours worked and increased stress • Positive correlation between daily practice and reduction of perceived stress • Small sample size

Current Study • Study will conclude in May 2019 • The implementation of the evidence is longitudinal with multiple points of data collection • We are most hopeful that this practice will answer our students' need for assistance with reduction of their perceived stress

References • Baldwin, S. (2013). Exploring the experiences of nurses studying professional doctorates. British Journal of Nurs ing, 22(8), 476–483. • Beck, A. R.,&Verticchio, H. (2014b). Counseling and mindfulness practice with graduate students in communication sciences and disorders. Contemporary Issues in Communication Science & Disorders, 4(1), 133–148. • Beck, A. R., & Verticchio, H. (2014a). Facilitating speech-language pathology graduate students’ ability to manage stress: A pilot study. Contemporary Issues in Communication Science & Disorders, 4(1), 24–38 • Bond, A. R., Mason, H. F., Lemaster, C. M., Shaw, S. E., Mullin, C. S., Holick, E. A., & Saper, R. B. (2013). Embodied health: The effects of a mind-body course for medical students. Medical Education Online, 18, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3402/meo.v18i0.20699 • Chambers, J., Phillips, B., Burr, M., & Xiao, D. (2016). Effects of meditation on stress levels of physical therapist students. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 30(3), 33–39. • Cohen, J. S., & Miller, L. J. (2009). Interpersonal mindfulness training for well-being: A pilot study with psychology graduate students. Teachers College Record, 111(12), 2760–2774. • Conley, C. S., Durlak, J. A., & Kirsch, A. C. (2015). A metaanalysis of universal mental health prevention programs for higher education students. Prevention Science , 16(4), 487–507. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0543-1 • Erogul, M., Singer, G., McIntyre, T., & Stefanov, D. G. (2014). Abridged mindfulness intervention to support wellness in first-year medical students. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 26(4), 350–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2014.945025

References • Kenty, J. R. (2000). Stress management strategies for women doctoral students. Nurse Educator , 25(5), 251–254. • Mancini, J., Lavecchia, C., & Clegg, R. (1983). Graduate nursing students and stress. Journal of Nursing Education, 22(8), 329–334. • Maville, J., Kranz, P., & Tucker, B. (2004). Perceived stress reported by nurse practitioner students. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners , 16(6), 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2004.tb00448.x • Regehr, C., Glancy, D., & Pitts, A. (2013). Interventions to reduce stress in university students: A review and metaanalysis. Journal of Affective Disorders , 148(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.026 • Reilly, J., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2009). Perceived stress and sense of belonging in doctor of nursing practice students. Journal of Professional Nursing , 25(2), 81–86. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2008.10.002 • Shapiro, S. L., Brown, K. W., & Biegel, G. M. (2007). Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training & Education in Professional Psychology, 1(2), 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1037/1931-3918.1.2.105 • Sochalski, J., & Weiner, J. (2011). Health care system reform on the nursing workforce: Matching nursing practice and skills to future needs, not past demands. In The Future Of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (pp. 375–400). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. • Stillwell, S.B., Vermeesch, A., & Scott, J.G. (2017). Interventions to Reduce Perceived Stress Among Graduate Students: A Systematic Review With Implications for Evidence-Based Practice. Worldviews On Evidence-based Nursing , 14 6, 507- 513.

Debunking Mindfulness Myths Figure 2 . Vermeesch, A. Lost Lake, Mount Hood Forest, Oregon. June 23, 2018

3 min guided meditation Figure 3. Vermeesch, A. Lost Lake and Mt. Hood, Mount Hood Forest, Oregon. June 24, 2018

How to balance graduate school and life responsibilities: an evidenced based approach Amber Vermeesch & Patricia Cox University of Portland School of Nursing

Dr. Pamela Potter is our esteemed research colleague Dr. Lindsay Benes is our statistical guru in data analysis