Date of this Version

9-9-2022

Document Type

DNP Project

Abstract

Abstract

Stress can lead to individuals feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope with life’s pressures (Mayo Clinic, 2021). It results from our body’s basic-level response to pressures from a situation or life event. Individual reactions to stress vary from person to person. Other influences are socioeconomic circumstances, the environment, and genetic factors. Typical stressors include new or unexpected experiences, threats to the self, or feelings of losing control over a situation. Stress is a frequent problem that affects individuals of different groups depending on their status at a given time and context. The primary goal of this project was to assess the efficacy of an online therapy program in enhancing medical professionals’ skills in the self-management of stress. The program was the American Academy of Family Practice's three-step mindfulness-based therapy. Topics covered included mindful consumption behavior, mindfulness, and subjective happiness. Participants were recruited from a local community behavioral health hospital. They responded to both pre-and post-therapy questionnaires using the Qualtrics online survey system. The results indicated an overall improvement in knowledge about stress and mindfulness therapy among 44% of participants, supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy. The results suggest that Advanced Practice Nurses and RNs might be able to use similar therapy and education over a more extended period to advance their abilities to handle stress.

Background: A comprehensive evaluation assesses the state of self-perceived stress among medical professionals in a hospital setting. Informal interviews with stakeholders revealed job anxiety and stress. Medical professionals are aware of the everyday pressures of their working environment. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the focus on reducing self-perceived stress for these critical healthcare workers.

Methods: This pilot pre and post-quantitative study’s intervention used specific programs of mindfulness-based therapy twice weekly for one week. Participants (N = xxx) completed online pre-and post-intervention Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) surveys to determine the efficacy of the intervention.

Keywords: Mindfulness-based therapy, Perceived Stress Scale, Stress Reduction, Advanced Practice Nursing

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