DNP Final Report: STRESS LESS, TEACH MORE: A STRESS REDUCTION INITIATIVE UTILIZING A MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACH FOR NURSING FACULTY

This paper explores the pervasive issue of stress among nursing faculty, particularly within the context of the Central Texas two-year college. Analyzing the nature, causes, and effects of stress experienced by nursing educators, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project emphasizes the important elements contributing to this phenomenon, including workload, administrative duties, and the most recent difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic. The initiative emphasizes the need for efficient stress management strategies to improve faculty well-being and job satisfaction by utilizing internal and external evidence. The DNP Scholarly project aims to reduce stress levels among nursing faculty by implementing a systematic stress-relief program, specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The project employs the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to guide its implementation and evaluation. Preliminary findings suggest that MBSR interventions can significantly reduce perceived stress, improve mental health, and enhance job performance among nursing educators. The project concludes with recommendations for sustaining these interventions and disseminating the findings to broader academic and healthcare communities.