Abstract
Background: In 2022, over 138,000 nurses left the U.S. workforce, primarily due to stress and burnout (Smiley et al., 2025). Because nursing students also experience high levels of burnout (Gómez-Urquiza et al., 2023), efforts to reduce burnout should begin during their training. Psychosocial factors, like stress and resilience, are associated with burnout (Al-Alawi et al., 2020) and affect nursing student retention (Sanderson et al., 2021) but are rarely examined in students preparing for admission to nursing school. Among these students, stress is negatively associated with resilience and persistence (Names Withheld, 2022). Strategies to reduce stress must go beyond academics and address psychological well-being; however, the first step is to explore the strategies pre-nursing students utilize to support their own resilience and maintain well-being.
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore pre-nursing students’ strategies that foster their resilience and well-being.
Methods: Study data were collected as part of a larger, IRB-approved, cross-sectional survey-based study. Pre-nursing students preparing to apply to a large public prelicensure nursing program in the southwestern United States were invited to participate in the study in the fall of 2024. The short answer question analyzed was ‘What are some of the things you do to support your own resilience and/or well-being as a pre-nursing student?’. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative study data to develop key themes.
Results: Participants (n=62) were female (87.9%), ethnically diverse (Hispanic 30.7%, Black 21.6%, Asian 20.1%, White 24.6%), and an average age of 23.64. Thematic analysis identified five themes: being kind to themselves, connecting with support systems, engaging in enjoyable activities, sustaining motivation by keeping their eye on the prize, and implementing effective time management and organization. These findings highlight the multifaceted, proactive approaches students are using to navigate the demands of their academic journey.
Conclusion: Nursing educators should integrate early interventions to build student resilience by fostering peer networks and offering guidance on time management and stress reduction. A supportive learning environment helps students manage academic demands, sustain motivation, and prioritize well-being, ultimately promoting retention and reducing burnout as they transition into nursing careers.
Notes
Reference list attached as separate document file.
Funding support provided by a UTA Research Enhancement Program Grant
Sigma Membership
Delta Theta
Lead Author Affiliation
University of Texas at Arlingington, Arlingington, Texas, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Stress and Coping, Curriculum Development, Resilience, Hardiness, Nursing Students, Nursing Students--Psychosocial Factors
Recommended Citation
Jennings, Leslie A.; Urban, Regina W.; and Vinar, Adrianna, "Supporting My Resilience and Well-Being: Reflections from Pre-Nursing Student" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 116.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/116
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-08-03
Supporting My Resilience and Well-Being: Reflections from Pre-Nursing Student
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Background: In 2022, over 138,000 nurses left the U.S. workforce, primarily due to stress and burnout (Smiley et al., 2025). Because nursing students also experience high levels of burnout (Gómez-Urquiza et al., 2023), efforts to reduce burnout should begin during their training. Psychosocial factors, like stress and resilience, are associated with burnout (Al-Alawi et al., 2020) and affect nursing student retention (Sanderson et al., 2021) but are rarely examined in students preparing for admission to nursing school. Among these students, stress is negatively associated with resilience and persistence (Names Withheld, 2022). Strategies to reduce stress must go beyond academics and address psychological well-being; however, the first step is to explore the strategies pre-nursing students utilize to support their own resilience and maintain well-being.
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore pre-nursing students’ strategies that foster their resilience and well-being.
Methods: Study data were collected as part of a larger, IRB-approved, cross-sectional survey-based study. Pre-nursing students preparing to apply to a large public prelicensure nursing program in the southwestern United States were invited to participate in the study in the fall of 2024. The short answer question analyzed was ‘What are some of the things you do to support your own resilience and/or well-being as a pre-nursing student?’. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative study data to develop key themes.
Results: Participants (n=62) were female (87.9%), ethnically diverse (Hispanic 30.7%, Black 21.6%, Asian 20.1%, White 24.6%), and an average age of 23.64. Thematic analysis identified five themes: being kind to themselves, connecting with support systems, engaging in enjoyable activities, sustaining motivation by keeping their eye on the prize, and implementing effective time management and organization. These findings highlight the multifaceted, proactive approaches students are using to navigate the demands of their academic journey.
Conclusion: Nursing educators should integrate early interventions to build student resilience by fostering peer networks and offering guidance on time management and stress reduction. A supportive learning environment helps students manage academic demands, sustain motivation, and prioritize well-being, ultimately promoting retention and reducing burnout as they transition into nursing careers.
Description
In this session, we will explore qualitative insights into the ways pre-nursing students choose to support their own resilience and well-being as they prepare for admission to a pre-licensure BSN program. Key themes that emerged can inform educators in creating supportive learning environments that enable students to navigate their academic demands, sustain motivation, and prioritize their well-being, which are critical factors for reducing burnout and promoting retention in nursing education.