A pilot resiliency course for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students: Lessons learned

• Published in: Journal of professional nursing Vol. 50; pp. 104 - 110
• Main Authors: Bouchard, Lindsay, May, Jennifer T., Dolan, Hanne R., Rainbow, Jessica G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Adult; Advanced practice nursing; Andragogy; Burnout; Curriculum; Education, Nursing, Graduate; Faculty, Nursing; Humans; Nursing students; Online education; Quality Improvement; Resilience; Resilience, Psychological; Students, Nursing; Andragogy; Nursing students; Online education; Burnout; Resilience; Advanced practice nursing
• ISSN: 8755-7223; 1532-8481
• DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.12.001

Graduate nursing students can face varied and significant stressors during their programs of study. The need for interventions to promote nursing student resiliency has been reported in the literature, by accrediting bodies, and in previous research conducted with students at the same university. Thus, the purpose of this project was to pilot a resilience course for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students. The theoretical frameworks guiding the design and implementation of the resiliency pilot program were andragogy (the science of adult learning) and rapid cycle quality improvement. The course included eleven monthly modules addressing resiliency content with written material, original videos, and online discussions and meetings. The first module overviewed the resiliency skills (Belief, Persistence, Trust, Strength, and Adaptability), five modules were dedicated to a specific resiliency skill, two modules addressed recent and anticipated challenges, two modules concentrated on the application (clinical and academic) of the resiliency skills, and the last module focused on reflection. Results of this pilot program indicate that DNP students can benefit from receiving resiliency content during their studies, especially from faculty involvement and increased peer support; however, future resiliency content may be more accepted and effective if embedded into nursing program curriculum and activities. •Providing evidence-based resiliency content can benefit graduate nursing students.•Online nursing resiliency courses can be feasible and promote connectedness.•Resiliency content may be most effective embedded in nursing program curricula.