At the start of the semester, introduce the Wellness Wheel as a self-assessment tool in a leadership course. It helps students gauge their well-being, enabling them to lead, advocate, and support others effectively.
In the senior practicum, assign students to use the Wellness Wheel prior to the completion of their initial development goals. Students needed to have goals that were skill-based, knowledge-based, and personal development based. By using the Wellness Wheel, students can identify gaps in their personal balance and set goals for improvement in those areas.
In a leadership class, concepts of healthy workplace were reviewed with the students. During the senior practicum, small groups reviewed how students can contribute to building a healthy workplace as they transition to practice and how to choose a workplace that is supportive. Discussion involved how their closest family and friends would describe them and is that the same person they feel able to bring to the workplace (their genuine self) and using that as a measure as they evaluate where they want to work. Many students already had employment offers and for some this reinforced their decision to choose their unit, for others, they realized they had a say in where they chose to start practice and with whom.
In both the leadership class and in the senior practicum small groups, we discussed the importance of being centered and grounded every time when entering a patient's room. We acknowledged the challenges of managing multiple patients in different spaces, physically, clinically, and emotionally, and being able to be focused and fully present to the patient in front of them.
We introduced some grounding exercises in both classes, and had students participate as they chose. On the units, this practice can be as simple as taking some good breaths while washing hands before entering the rooms, clearing your thoughts, and selecting your intention. Other times, something more intense prep may be necessary, such as taking 5-10 minutes during a break to do a head-to-toe check-in and let go negative thoughts and tension, and renew your energy levels.
In both classes, we emphasized the importance of integrating a gratitude practice into the student's daily life. This could involve journaling or simply noticing what went well during the day, and what or whom they were thankful for. While some students embraced this practice, and continued the practice, others did not resonate with it as strongly. We did not make it a mandatory assignment but encouraged students to reflect on its usefulness in their weekly updates or reflections.
During the final session of the senior practicum, students were asked to share at least one thing thing they did or learned during the semester that they were proud of and grateful for. They were informed in advance to give them time to consider their responses. The sharing session was an amazing experience. The room got lighter and brighter, everyone was smiling, and the positive energy in the room was palpable.
Adding a Gratitude Assignment:
Midway through the semester, we introduced another assignment as part of our gratitude practice, which became a regular feature in our senior practicum small group discussions. Students were tasked with tracking instances of kindness they encountered during the week.
At the beginning of each weekly session, students were asked to share any challenges they faced and identify moments of kindness, personal highs, or things they were grateful for. This helped build a sense of community and set a positive tone for our discussions, directing our focus towards areas where students wanted to invest their time.
This assignment aligned well with work-life integration lessons, as it emphasized the importance of seeking and providing support—a important part of resilience. By the middle of the semester, students were spontaneously asking for and giving support to each other
is included on the required reading list; the assessments and evaluation are included with the book. Senior students were provided the and asked to complete the Personal Value Assessment and the VIA Character Profile assessment. Students used these assessments along with the content presented in the leadership class to identify their own values, strengths and leadership affinities.All students were given access to StrengthFinders through their course materials and additionally were asked to complete either the Barrett Personal Value assessment or the VIA Character Profile assessments. Students used these assessments along with the content presented in the leadership class to identify their own values, strengths and leadership affinities.
Students completed a flip grid assignment addressing the following:
Finally, students used the insights gained from this assignment to complete a group project, Applying their identified strengths and values to explore a current health care issue, define the problems and develop potential solutions. Students were encouraged to take the skills and insights they learned through these assignments and incorporate them into their practice.
Throughout the semester in both courses, we introduced a variety of mindfulness exercises to students on a weekly basis. Students were encouraged to participate in class and incorporate these strategies into their own self-care routines as they felt comfortable. We explored diverse techniques including movement, imagery, breathwork, and relaxation exercises, including adult coloring sheets during senior practicum seminars. Engaging in coloring during discussions was a game changer in the senior practicum seminar. An amazing sense of focus and calm occurred and in no way distracted the students from an incredibly rich discussion. Just the opposite those who chose to color were more engaged than they had been in previous weeks and added to the discussion. Additionally, students were challenged to explore apps, web sites and videos on their own and share in their weekly updates or a google doc which strategies they found most helpful and for what purpose.
Mindfulness Video Apps:
Early in the semester, we introduced the concept of reframing as an essential part of building resilience, forming one componet of the ). During the opening of senior practicum small group discussions, when challenges came up, faculty would circle back and ask students or group to suggest how the challenge could be reframed as a learning opportunity.
Initially, faculty were primarily guiding students in the reframing process, but as the semester progressed, students began to independently reframe challenges, either their own or those of their peers, in a respectful and thoughtful unsolicited way. This activity aligned closely with the work life integration concepts of seeking and providing support for well-being and resilience, while maintaining a balance between work and personal life. Students quickly offered insights based on their own experiences, fostering an environment of learning, positivity, support, and community. The growth and cohesion that emerged from this process was amazing.
This content from the Sigma Theta Tau books on "Self Care for new and Student Nurses" Fontaine et al., and basically spoke about integration instead of work/life balance. It stressed nursing as a way of being in the world and making sure you brought your genuine self to practice. They listed the following concepts as essential work for successful work life integration:
We integrated these concepts into our curriculum, dedicating each week in the senior practicum seminar to focus on one of these topics. Students were asked to reflect on these topics in their weekly updates or written reflections. Additionally, they discussed these concepts with their preceptors, gaining insight into their experiences and beliefs based on their own practice.
Throughout the semester, students received affirming messages and were encouraged to own their practice. At the end of the semester, students wrote letters to themselves to be opened in a year, reflecting on what they were most excited about, their concerns, and their aspirations for their future practice. They also shared advice for future students based on their learnings about self-care, resilience, leadership, and well-being throughout the semester.
Location: Minneapolis, MN
School Type: Public School
Partners: Mayo (Rochester); Fairview Health; Children's MN; Allina; Hennepin Healthcare
Faculty Contact: Donna Eull
Implementing Gratitude (3 Good Things): The sharing session was an amazing experience. The room got lighter and brighter, everyone was smiling, and the positive energy in the room was palpable.