Using REAL Interventions to Reduce Burnout Among Nursing Students

Abstract

Burnout among nurses and nursing students has become a critical issue in healthcare with far-reaching consequences for individual practitioners, patients and the healthcare system as a whole. National and state-level statistics paint a concerning picture of the prevalence and impact of this problem. At the individual level, interventions focusing on resilience training, stress management techniques and promoting work-life balance have shown promise. The costs – both individually and financially ¬– are too high to ignore, and finding effective solutions is crucial for the well-being of healthcare professionals and the quality of patient care. The intervention of this study was to pilot the Resilience Equine-Assisted Learning Intervention (REAL) Manual and conduct a non-randomized trial with a nurse led national collaboration to assess the feasibility and effects of the REAL intervention.