Date of this Version
11-10-2025
Document Type
DNP Project
Rights
default
Abstract
Abstract
Background: A form of performance related anxiety, test anxiety, has a detrimental impact on learning and academic achievement. It is thought to affect about 30% of nursing CRNAs and lends itself to a deterioration in mental health. Among resident registered nurse anesthesiologists. severe anxiety contributes to failure of high stakes exams, poor clinical performance, and a rise in program attrition. Numerous therapies are available to treat anxiety; however, researchhas not specified the superiority of one therapy over another, and the breadth and depth of evidence addressing test anxiety in RRNAs is scarce. This evidence-based project aimed to compare pet therapy to cognitive therapy for test anxiety reduction and enhanced exam performance in RRNAs.
Methods :A literature review search was completed using PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest. MeSH terms, truncated phrases, and Boolean logic were used. Keywords included: “dog/cat therapy,”“pet therapy,” “animal assisted therapy,”“mindfulness,” “test anxiety,” “resident registered nurse anesthetists,” and “high-stakes exams.” Inclusion/exclusion criteria were imposed, and 10 articles were identified. With university Institutional Review Board exemption, an online educational module was created was distributed to anesthesia personnel at a designated facility. A survey platform wasused to launch pre- and post-surveys to measure provider knowledge of the impact of test anxiety on RRNAs and the means to address it. Data analysis highlighted best practice approaches for mitigating anxiety and prioritizing RRNAwellness. National dissemination is vital because wellness is intertwined with academic performance. Nurse anesthesia programs that provide wellness resources will have better retention rates and more successful graduates.
Discussion:RRNA performance is impacted by testing anxiety. Twenty-five percent to 40% of CRNAs experience test anxiety; thus, potential therapies to mitigate its prevalence are worthy of consideration. Mindfulness emerged as a favorable strategy because it augments attentiveness and awareness resulting in enhanced academic performance. Similarly, a consensus exists that animal-assisted therapy contributes to a significant reduction in anxiety using many tools including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Pettherapy use varied across studies from continuously during the semester to intermittently preceding examinations; however, all types demonstrated anxiety reduction and performance improvement with only 20 minutes of exposure. Despite some limitations including small sample size and an absence of blinding, the impact of both mindfulness andanimal assisted therapy has implications for nurse anesthesia programs and consideration of health and wellness as a vital component of RRNA academic success.
Recommended Citation
Aguila MSN,RN, Leonardo; Diaz, DNP, CRNA, APRN, CNE, CHSE, FAANA, CAPT (Ret), USN, NC, Valerie; and Campbell DNP, CRNA, APRN, CNE, CHSE, FAANA, Yasmine, "The Use of Pet Therapy Versus Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Test Anxiety Reduction and Enhanced Exam Performance in Resident Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist: An Evidence-Based Educational Module" (2025). Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing Student Projects. 370.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cnhs-studentprojects/370