Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
11-17-2025
First Advisor
Sandy King
Second Advisor
Veronica Arrendondo
Abstract
This quality improvement project explored whether incorporating scheduled walk breaks could help reduce perceived stress among accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) faculty. High levels of stress and burnout continue to affect nursing educators and contribute to faculty turnover and workforce shortages. The goal of this project was to promote physical activity as a simple and accessible approach to supporting well-being and fostering a healthier work environment. Grounded in George Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model of Health, this project introduced an educational session on faculty stress, burnout, and the benefits of walking. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) before and after a 7-week intervention during which they were encouraged to take 15-minute scheduled walk breaks two to three times per week. Data from pre- and post-surveys were analyzed using a two-tailed independent samples t-test to compare group-level stress scores. Results showed no statistically significant difference in perceived stress between pre- and post-intervention groups, based on a level of significance set at α = 0.05, t(18) = 1.37, p = 0.187. The mean PSS score decreased from 11.20 (SD = 4.94) before the intervention to 8.60 (SD = 3.41) after, representing a moderate effect size (d = 0.61). Although statistical significance was not achieved, the observed reduction in stress suggests that incorporating brief movement breaks may be a feasible and practical wellness strategy for faculty, warranting further study with larger samples.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Martinez, Stefanie, "Quality Improvement Project Step into Serenity: How Walking Can Ease Stress for Nursing Faculty" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 268.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/268
