Cultivating Calm: Enhancing Resilience in Nursing Students Through Guided Meditation.
Holistic nursing practice – February 02, 2026
Source: PubMed
Summary
A 40-minute guided meditation dramatically reduced stress and boosted relaxation among 39 doctoral nursing students. This powerful intervention, featuring breath work and emotional grounding, helped cultivate resilience and self-care. Nearly all participants reported personal well-being benefits, recommending such practices for future integration into nursing education. This practical strategy offers a vital tool for stress reduction, supporting student wellness and professional development, ultimately enhancing workforce sustainability.
Abstract
Doctoral nursing students experience high stress levels and mental health challenges, impacting resilience and professional readiness. Teaching wellness practices is essential to support student well-being and retention. High rates of stress and attrition among new nurses highlight the need for wellness-focused education, yet traditional teaching methods may not effectively promote self-care and stress reduction. Guided by Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Domain 10, this practice improvement project involved evaluation of a 40-minute guided meditation for Doctor of Nursing Practice students. The intervention included breath work, emotional grounding, and cognitive recentering. Using a pre-posttest design, 39 participants reported significantly reduced stress ( P < .001) and increased relaxation ( P < .001). Nearly all endorsed benefits to personal well-being and recommended future integration. Findings suggest experiential meditation fostered resilience and self-care, offering nurse educators a practical strategy to enhance student wellness, professional development, and workforce sustainability.