Fostering Happiness: A Pilot Study on Enhancing Psychological Well-Being of Nursing Students

Background: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing students and educators are navigating an increasingly complex academic environment. The rigorous demands of nursing education, combined with diminished academic preparedness and growing mental health concerns, have heightened the need for effective wellness interventions. The SKY Happiness Retreat©, an evidence-based program incorporating breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness practices, offers a potential strategy to enhance student resilience and reduce stress. Purpose: This pilot study examined the impact of integrating the SKY Happiness Retreat© into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. This study evaluated whether participation reduced perceived stress and improved students’ ability to manage stressful situations. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest–post-test design was used with junior-level BSN students recruited through convenience sampling at a rural university. Participants completed a structured three-day retreat focused on breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness. Outcomes were measured using the Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire (Mini-MASQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Results: Perceived stress significantly decreased following the intervention (PSS: pre M = 18.50, SD = 4.583; post M = 17.30, SD = 5.841; t(43) = 2.072, p = 0.022). General distress also significantly improved (Mini-MASQ: pre M = 15.51, SD = 6.535; post M = 12.82, SD = 5.118; t(44) = 3.941, p < 0.001). No significant changes were observed in anxious arousal or anhedonic depression. BRS scores demonstrated a modest increase in resilience. Conclusions: The SKY Happiness Retreat© shows promise as an experiential learning strategy within undergraduate nursing education. Findings suggest participation was associated with reductions in perceived stress and general distress while promoting resilience. Integrating evidence-based wellness programs into prelicensure nursing curricula may better prepare students to manage academic and professional stress. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate long-term effectiveness.