Project Title: The use of self-care education strategies to alleviate stress among new graduate nurse residents
Project Title: The use of self-care education strategies to alleviate stress among new graduate nurse residents
Student name: Kathryn Potenzone-Chiariello, MSN, AGNP-BC
Date of Defense: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Time: 12 noon
Faculty Mentor: Christine Saba Rezendes, DNP, AGNP-BC, ACNS-BC
Second Faculty Reader: Melissa Duprey, Ed.D, MSN, RN, CNE
Clinical Site Mentor: Valerie Seney, PhD, MA, LMHC, PMHNP-BC
Zoom link: Please contact dhoffman@umassd.edu for link.
Abstract
The nursing profession is currently facing a critical shortage of nurses due to an alarming rate of nurse attrition, which exceeds the number of new graduates entering the field. A review of the current literature suggests that increased levels of stress could be a contributing factor to decreased retention issues and higher attrition. New graduate nurses experience the highest levels of stress in their first year of practice (An et al., 2022). This scholarly project aimed to provide self-care education to new graduate nurse residents as a means of empowering them to manage their stress. The objective of this study was to assess improvement in self-reported stress levels using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4) (S. Cohen et al., 1983) following an asynchronous education program. After a two-week intervention, participants were surveyed to determine their level of stress. Due to an insufficient number of matched surveys, statistical analysis was not completed. Qualitative data demonstrated a change in the way nurse residents managed their stress. Participants acquired knowledge and insights into additional self-care measures that may use to enhance their well-being throughout their nursing careers. Future recommendations include the consideration of embedding a stress management module within new graduate residency programs to better assess efficacy in enhancing job satisfaction and overall retention, incorporating the stress management curriculum into multiple nurse residency cohorts across the larger hospital-based system to assess scalability, and offering an individualized approach to self-care during nurse residency programs.
Keywords: new graduate nurse residents, stress, self-care, stress-reduction, mindfulness
ZOOM
: 285 Old Westport Road
Deanna Hoffman
dhoffman@umassd.edu