Date of Award
9-15-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA - Master of Arts
Department
Mindfulness Studies
First Advisor
Yasemin Isler
Second Advisor
Cacky Mellor
Abstract
Nurses and nursing students frequently face high-stress environments due to demanding workloads, human suffering, death, and complex decision-making. Global nursing shortages and the recent COVID-19 pandemic have worsened daily stressors in healthcare settings, leading to poor mental health, unpredictable work situations, and low job satisfaction. The physical and psychological strain of working in understaffed, under-resourced environments leads to higher rates of absenteeism, turnover, and challenges in staff retention and recruitment. This emphasizes the need for nursing students to be well-prepared to handle and cope with the inherent stressors of nursing education and future clinical practice. Research also shows that nursing students experience greater levels of stress, burnout, and traumatic stress during their training than students in other healthcare programs. This paper reviews existing research on the connections between stress, burnout, and traumatic stress symptoms in nursing students during their education. It also explores the role and advantages of introducing Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) to nursing students as a proactive and effective strategy to recognize and reduce the impact of these psychological challenges, thus building resilience and supporting career longevity. The related creative project introduces an accessible online resource that provides nursing students with information on signs and symptoms of stress, burnout, and traumatic stress, along with practical and straightforward mindfulness techniques to reduce stress and prevent harmful psychological responses.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Zondervan, Kara, "The Role of Mindfulness as a Preventative Measure to Reduce Stress, Burnout, and Symptoms of Traumatic Stress in Nursing Students" (2025). Mindfulness Studies Theses. 109.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/mindfulness_theses/109
