Feasibility and efficacy of integrating resiliency training into a pilot nurse residency program

Abstract

The high stress associated with the nursing profession can negatively affect the health of nurses and the quality of patient care that they provide. This quasi-experimental study aimed to 1) assess the feasibility of integrating a Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program within a nine-month pilot nurse residency program and 2) assess the effects of the program on participants’ stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and resilience relative to a comparison group. A pre- and post-intervention survey design was used, with measurements taken at baseline and at 1, 3, 9, and 12 months after baseline. We enrolled 51 registered nurses (intervention group, n = 23; comparison group, n = 28) at a Midwestern US academic medical center. Nurses in the intervention group had a participation rate of 93%–100% with SMART program events. Despite the relatively limited adherence to the protocol by intervention group participants, significant improvements were noted for stress (P < .001), mindfulness (P < .001), and resilience (P < .001) in the intervention group compared with the comparison group. The SMART program can potentially be successfully integrated into a nurse residency program and positively impact nurse stress, mindfulness, and resilience. Further research is needed to determine the proper dose of the intervention and methods to enhance adherence.