Innovative Strategies to Promote Wellness in Nurse Anesthesia Education.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Student Wellness
• Trauma-Informed Care

Background:

• Nurse anesthesia students report high levels of burnout, anxiety, and depression.
• These mental health challenges can negatively impact learning and clinical preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of trauma-informed wellness initiatives on nurse anesthesia students.
• To assess the association between wellness interventions and program outcomes, including certification exam pass rates.

Main Methods:

• A university nurse anesthesia program implemented a comprehensive suite of wellness initiatives.
• Interventions included flexible scheduling, reflective wellness assignments, town halls, community emails, mindfulness training, and a career fair.

Main Results:

• First-time national certification examination pass rates increased from 83% in 2023 to 91% in 2025.
• The trauma-informed, multilevel wellness approach was linked to enhanced program outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a trauma-informed, multilevel wellness strategy can positively influence nurse anesthesia student well-being.
• These initiatives appear to improve academic readiness and success in national certification examinations.