Other Titles
PechaKucha Presentation
Abstract
Resilience is a critical competency for nursing students navigating academic stress and clinical uncertainty. This mixed-methods study evaluates the impact of a five-module neuroadaptive resilience training program on undergraduate nursing students’ stress regulation, cognitive flexibility, and clinical preparedness. The intervention integrates mindfulness-based resets, cognitive reframing drills, and executive function planning to promote neuroplasticity and emotional resilience in high-stress environments.
Reflective journaling and structured pre/post assessments will be used to measure changes in perceived stress, coping strategies, and professional identity formation. Quantitative data will be analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA to assess improvements in resilience and cognitive flexibility. Qualitative data from student journals and focus groups will undergo thematic analysis to capture emotional and relational dimensions of resilience-building.
Ethical safeguards include informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing support. Expected outcomes include enhanced stress regulation, improved adaptive functioning, and strengthened professional identity among nursing students. Findings will inform simulation-based curricula and scalable educational models that embed resilience training into undergraduate nursing education, preparing students for the cognitive and emotional demands of modern healthcare.
Notes
References:
Alharbi, B. A. A., & McKenna, N. (2025). A systematic review of mindfulness-based interventions to reduce ICU nurse burnout: Global evidence and thematic synthesis. BMC Nursing, 24, Article 927. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03507-w
Karr, J. E. (2024). The Short Executive Function Scale. Assessment, 31(7), 1430–1441. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911231223122
Lanz, J. J. (2020). Evidence-based resilience intervention for nursing students: A randomized controlled pilot trial. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 5(3), 217–230. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-020-00034-8
McDermott, R. C., Cheng, H. L., Wong, J., & McCullough, K. M. (2021). Resilience and mental health among college students: The mediating role of cognitive flexibility. Journal of American College Health, 69(8), 872–879. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2019.1705849
McVeigh, C., Ace, L., Ski, C. F., Carswell, C., Burton, S., Rej, S., & Noble, H. (2021). Mindfulness-based interventions for undergraduate nursing students in a university setting: A narrative review. Healthcare, 9(11), Article 1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9111493
Rees, C. S., Breen, L. J., Cusack, L., & Hegney, D. G. (2020). Understanding individual resilience in the workplace: The role of self-regulation and cognitive flexibility. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(2), 336–343. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12997
Turner, K., & McCarthy, V. L. (2022). Stress and resilience among undergraduate nursing students: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Education, 61(2), 85–93. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20220120-01
Zhang, Y., Liu, F., Ma, J., Wu, J., Shen, C., Chang, F., Hu, W., & Lang, H. (2025). Psychological stress and depression symptoms in nursing undergraduates: The chain mediating effect of cognitive reappraisal and ruminate thinking. BMC Nursing, 24, Article 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02604-6
Sigma Membership
Iota Theta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Pretest-Posttest
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Curriculum Development, Transition to Practice or Onboarding, Psychological Resilience, Cognition, Nursing Students
Recommended Citation
Thompson, Darlla and Wilburn, Shunda, "Cognitive Resilience in Action: Evaluating Neurological Adaptive Functioning in Nursing Students" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 207.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/207
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
2026-08-24
Cognitive Resilience in Action: Evaluating Neurological Adaptive Functioning in Nursing Students
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Resilience is a critical competency for nursing students navigating academic stress and clinical uncertainty. This mixed-methods study evaluates the impact of a five-module neuroadaptive resilience training program on undergraduate nursing students’ stress regulation, cognitive flexibility, and clinical preparedness. The intervention integrates mindfulness-based resets, cognitive reframing drills, and executive function planning to promote neuroplasticity and emotional resilience in high-stress environments.
Reflective journaling and structured pre/post assessments will be used to measure changes in perceived stress, coping strategies, and professional identity formation. Quantitative data will be analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA to assess improvements in resilience and cognitive flexibility. Qualitative data from student journals and focus groups will undergo thematic analysis to capture emotional and relational dimensions of resilience-building.
Ethical safeguards include informed consent, confidentiality, and debriefing support. Expected outcomes include enhanced stress regulation, improved adaptive functioning, and strengthened professional identity among nursing students. Findings will inform simulation-based curricula and scalable educational models that embed resilience training into undergraduate nursing education, preparing students for the cognitive and emotional demands of modern healthcare.
Description
This study evaluates a five-module neuroadaptive resilience program for undergraduate nursing students. The intervention integrates mindfulness resets, cognitive reframing, and executive function planning to strengthen stress regulation, cognitive flexibility, and clinical preparedness. Using mixed methods, journaling and pre/post assessments will measure stress, coping, and identity. Expected outcomes include improved executive function, readiness, resilience, and stronger emotional regulation.