Background: The training to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is academically and mentally taxing, requiring students to balance high stress levels with mental wellness. Long-term stress has negative effects on mental and physical well-being indicating a need to implement effective coping and stress management strategies throughout CRNA training.
Purpose and Specific Aims: This project's purpose was to evaluate the impact of a newly created program to enhance organizational engagement in Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNA) mental health. The goal was to assess student perception of faculty and organizational involvement and the perceived impact on student stress, support, and resources.
Methods: This was a quality improvement project that used a pre- and post-test design. The Center for Disease Control’s program evaluation framework guided this study. Statistical (SPSS) and thematical analysis were used to analyze results.
Results: Results revealed that the Wellness Packet was user friendly and easily accessible (p = 0.007) and that it had a positive impact on their life (p = 0.034). The open-ended question revealed three themes: scheduling, organizational support, and wellness activities.
Conclusion: The impact of organizational involvement was shown to improve SRNA perception of stress but there remains a need for further improvement at the organizational level.
