Relaxation as an Educational Strategy for Stress Management and Resiliency.

BACKGROUND: Prelicensure nursing students experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than the remainder of the student body.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify whether implementation of Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) and a relaxation room decreased perceived stress levels in prelicensure nursing students.

METHODS: This quasi-experimental pre- and posttest interventional study used a within-subjects design. Nursing students were asked to use a relaxation room for 15 minutes following a discussion on stress management and resiliency strategies. The students evaluated their stress level at baseline and at the conclusion of using the relaxation room.

RESULTS: The self-reported stress levels decreased for nearly 90% of the participants following the use of the interventions.

CONCLUSIONS: Stress management and resiliency interventions during academic hours decreased the reported stress levels of nursing students. The strategies are beneficial options to reduce stress and improve resiliency skills among prelicensure nursing students.