Date of Award
Fall 11-29-2024
Degree Name
Masters of Science in Nursing
Department
Wellstar School of Nursing
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Modupe Adewuyi
Second Advisor
Lynn Varagona
Abstract
Background:
The rigors of the nursing school curriculum are associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, resulting in unhealthy habits and ineffective coping strategies that lead to initial difficulties in the academic environment and burnout as professional nurses advance into their careers. This phenomenon further burdens the already taxed workforce, leading to ongoing turnover and compromising care. This integrative review aims to look at what coping strategies have proven most successful in fostering nursing students' well-being, leading to lifelong practices that promote strength while addressing the rigors of academia and, later, the workforce.
Methods:
The literature review search inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research published in the English language from January 2019 to February 2024, focusing on the effectiveness of mental health interventions for undergraduate and graduate nursing students. John Hopkins’ rating tools were used to appraise the evidence level and quality of the literature.
Results:
The research shows that the success of an intervention to enhance the well-being of nursing students lies in the individualism of each student with many diverse backgrounds. The most notable theme that has emerged is that academic institutions are in a direct position to support and engage nursing students in healthy coping mechanisms.
Conclusion:
There is a need for more rigor in research that focuses on mental health interventions tailored to the individual student’s needs and personality with support to foster a wellness culture. Future research should also explore the impact that integrating mental health interventions into the nursing curriculum has on the overall well-being of the nursing student and the long-term effects that these interventions pose well into their professional nursing careers to create a strong and resilient nursing workforce.
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Mental Disorders Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Other Nursing Commons