ABSTRACT
Background
Resilience, the ability to adapt and thrive under adversity, is essential for nursing students vulnerable to stress, burnout, and psychological distress. Strengthening resilience may protect well-being and enhance patient care.
Methods
This feasibility study employed a one-group pretest–posttest design. A face-to-face stress management and resilience training (SMART) programme was delivered to 40 nursing undergraduates at a self-financing institution in Hong Kong. Resilience and stress were measured at baseline (T0), 2 weeks (T1), and 3 months (T2) using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC-10) and Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). A post-training satisfaction survey was also conducted.
Results
Thirty-one participants completed all assessments. CD-RISC-10 scores increased significantly from 22.00 (SD = 4.11) at T0 to 27.81 (SD = 7.39) at T1 and 26.42 (SD = 6.45) at T2. Improvements were significant between T0–T1 (p < 0.001) and T0–T2 (p = 0.004). PSS-10 scores declined slightly (18.61 at T0 to 17.65 at T2) but without statistical significance (p = 0.123). Satisfaction ratings were high (mean 5.38–5.60/6), particularly for trainer performance and content.
Conclusion
The SMART programme was feasible, well-received, and effective in improving resilience among Hong Kong nursing undergraduates. Findings support its potential integration into undergraduate nursing curricula.