Grit, Self-Compassion, and Burnout: A Comparison Between Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Students

Higher levels of grit and self-compassion have been shown to contribute to nursing student success. The aim of this study was to compare relationships between grit, self-compassion, and burnout in baccalaureate and graduate students. A self-reported survey utilized the Short Grit Scale, Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey for Students. The sum exhaustion score for first-year undergraduates compared with first-year graduate students was significant (p < .05, 95% confidence interval: 0.27, 9.37). The findings demonstrate the need for educational modules in the first years of nursing school to encourage students to seek assistance when feeling the effects of burnout.