Dissertation
Reducing stress and anxiety in DNP nurse anesthesia students: the impact of the 4-7-8 mindfulness breathwork technique
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
16 Mar 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-67
Abstract
This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the 4-7-8 breathwork technique in reducing stress among Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia (DNP-NA) students. The project explored whether implementing a structured breathwork intervention would lead to a significant decrease in perceived stress levels. A total of 16 DNP-NA students participated in a two-week intervention, during which they practiced the 4-7-8 breathwork technique daily. A modified Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) was used to assess stress levels before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistical analysis indicated a decrease in mean PSS-10 scores from 22.81 (pre-intervention) to 18.63 (post-intervention), demonstrating a notable reduction in stress. A paired t-test confirmed statistical significance (t(15) = 4.08, p = 0.00098), and Cohen's d (1.02) suggested a large effect size, underscoring the practical significance of the findings. Although the reduction in stress scores (18.36%) was slightly below the anticipated 20%, the intervention proved effective in mitigating stress. These results highlight the importance of incorporating structured mindfulness- based techniques into nursing education to promote well-being. Future research should explore long-term adherence to breathwork techniques and their impact on clinical performance and student retention in high-stress academic settings. Keywords: student registered nurse anesthetists, doctoral nurse anesthesia students, nurse anesthesia residents, stress reduction, breathwork, mindfulness, nursing education, Perceived Stress Scale
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Details
- Title
- Reducing stress and anxiety in DNP nurse anesthesia students
- Creators
- Karen AtisSamara Lee
- Contributors
- Jessica Ann Hessel (DNP Chair) - Drexel University, Nurse Anesthesia
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- 61 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Nurse Anesthesia; Nursing (Graduate); College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014632416904721