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

Objectives1. Identify graduate school stressors advanced practice

nursing students.2. Define MBSR inventions for reduction in perceived stress3. 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

MBSRDefinition 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)

Figure 1. Vermeesch, A. Cactus Flowers Tucson, Arizona. May 19, 2018

MBSRApps 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 Nursing,

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. Lindsay Benes is our statistical guru in data analysis

Dr. Pamela Potter is our esteemed research colleague