For those living lives devoted to taking care of others, it can be difficult to remember to take care of themselves. This thesis project is a review of quantitative and qualitative literature pertaining to self-care for the caregivers of Alzheimer's and dementia patients. Three nursing diagnoses and related nursing interventions were created using data from the evidence-based literature. With the proper knowledge and assistance, caregivers can better prepare for the future and participate in health-promoting self-care activities which may improve their quality of life.

COVID-19 has drastically impacted the student learning experience this past year. Arizona State University nursing students have had to learn fundamental nursing education, clinical experience, and simulation skills virtually. Research has shown that the educational experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused psychological and emotional stress on students adjusting to new university protocols and virtual learning. Two Term 8 nursing students questioned how these changes affected nursing students who are in their final semester of nursing school. The Term 8 nursing cohort was invited to participate in an anonymous online survey to provide feedback about their learning experience and recommendations for program leadership. The qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis to underline themes that portrayed the nursing students’ learning experience. The following themes were illuminated: an overall negative impact on virtual learning experiences, self-developed efforts to promote success, the aversion of using an online learning platform, and the desire for academic accommodation and faculty support during this time. Student recommendations for program leadership include requesting more hands-on experience when possible along with increased faculty lenience and understanding with course workload. Students had the opportunity to participate in a study where feedback is taken seriously and will be supplied to leadership to make changes to the ongoing academic dilemmas during the pandemic.

COVID-19 has drastically impacted the student learning experience this past year. Arizona State University nursing students have had to learn fundamental nursing education, clinical experience, and simulation skills virtually. Research has shown that the educational experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused psychological and emotional stress on students adjusting to new university protocols and virtual learning. Two Term 8 nursing students questioned how these changes affected nursing students who are in their final semester of nursing school. The Term 8 nursing cohort was invited to participate in an anonymous online survey to provide feedback about their learning experience and recommendations for program leadership. The qualitative data was analyzed through content analysis to underline themes that portrayed the nursing students’ learning experience. The following themes were illuminated: an overall negative impact on virtual learning experiences, self-developed efforts to promote success, the aversion of using an online learning platform, and the desire for academic accommodation and faculty support during this time. Student recommendations for program leadership include requesting more hands-on experience when possible along with increased faculty lenience and understanding with course workload. Students had the opportunity to participate in a study where feedback is taken seriously and will be supplied to leadership to make changes to the ongoing academic dilemmas during the pandemic.

In a healthcare system already struggling with burnout among its professionals, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a barrage of personal and occupational strife to US healthcare workers. Structural and everyday discrimination contributed to the health inequities of people of color in the US, exacerbated by COVID-19-related racism and xenophobia. There is little research regarding the effects of COVID-19 and related and/or concurring discrimination upon minority nursing staff, despite their importance in supporting the diverse American patient population with culturally competent, tireless care amid the pandemic. This cross-sectional survey study aimed to examine 1) the relationships between discrimination, social support, resilience, and quality of life among minority nursing staff in the US during COVID-19, and 2) the differences of discrimination, social support resilience, and quality of life among minority nursing staff between different racial/ethnic groups during COVID-19. The sample (n = 514) included Black/African American (n = 161, 31.4%), Latinx/Hispanic (n = 131, 25.5%), Asian (n = 87, 17%), Native American/Alaskan Native (n = 69, 13.5%), and Pacific Islander (n = 65, 12.7%) nursing staff from 47 US states. The multiple regression results showed that witnessing discrimination was associated with a lower quality of life score, while higher social support and resilience scores were associated with higher quality of life scores across all racial groups. Furthermore, while participants from all racial groups witnessed and experienced discrimination, Hispanic/Latinx nursing staff experienced discrimination most commonly, alongside having lowest quality of life and highest resilience scores. Native American/Alaskan Native nursing staff had similarly high discrimination and low quality of life, although low resilience scores. Our findings suggest that minority nursing staff who have higher COVID-19 morbidity and mortality rates (Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaskan Native) were left more vulnerable to negative effects from discrimination. Hispanic/Latinx nursing staff reported a relatively higher resilience score than all other groups, potentially attributed to the positive effects of biculturality in the workplace, however, the low average quality of life score suggests a simultaneous erosion of well-being. Compared to all other groups, Native American and Alaskan Native nursing staff’s low resilience and quality of life scores suggest a potential compounding effect of historical trauma affecting their well-being, especially in contrast to Hispanic/Latinx nursing staff. This study has broader implications for research on the lasting effects of COVID-19 on minority healthcare workers’ and communities’ well-being, especially regarding Hispanic/Latinx and Native American/Alaskan Native nursing staff.

This scoping review provides a synthesis of research which maps the literature on the topic of COVID-19 related impact on Undergraduate Student Mental Health and Baccalaureate Success. The purpose of this review was to identify existing literature pertaining to the psychological repercussions of COVID-19 on the undergraduate population, describe the range of successful interventions used to reduce stress and demand on the U.S. undergraduate population during a pandemic, and identify implications for future research. Due to the novelty of coronavirus and limited research on the given topic, this review provides a framework of available research by identifying types of available research, identifying how research is conducted on the topic, identifying and analyzing knowledge gaps, and clarifies key concepts in literature.

Allostatic load in students, commonly referred to as student burnout, is extremely detrimental to emotional, mental, and physical health. Recent studies are finding an uptick in allostatic load in students, as academic pressures continue to rise. In order to meet the changing needs of students, universities should address the effects of overwhelming academic stress and student burnout. My thesis aimed to provide college campuses with the tools they need to do so, particularly through the implementation of Talking Circles. Talking Circles are structured discussions aimed to address specific issues, problems, or talking points. I had the opportunity to design, create, and facilitate Talking Circles with the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) Chapter at Arizona State University. The focus of these circles were designed to have specific emphasis on reducing allostatic load in ASU’s student population. Thus, the Talking Circle prompts, following the principles of positive psychology, focused on emphasizing individual strengths in regards to handling stress. Through individual participant feedback, students felt “empowered, strengthened, and safe” after participating in the Talking Circles. In addition to facilitating these psychosocial support groups, I created a digital toolkit that allows for easier accessibility and distribution of Talking Circles. This allows for not only more students at ASU to feel ‘empowered and strengthened’ but for college students across the U.S. to have the tools, resources, and access to manage stress and reduce allostatic load.

It is often a passion for caring for others that drives people towards the profession of nursing in the first place. At some point, however, this desire to care for other people takes over, and nurses soon forget how to properly care for themselves. It was asked: If students are better prepared with and more encouraged to use healthy coping mechanisms and integrative modalities to deal with their daily lives, are they more likely to continue to care for themselves properly as time goes on? Ample research was conducted illuminating the prevalence of this worldwide problem and highlighting potential solutions noted by credible sources. An initiative was formed with the goal of improving the self care practices of nursing students at Arizona State University (ASU) with the greater intent of promoting a healthier work environment as these students advance into their future careers. The Arizona Student Chapter of the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) at ASU was formed, and it serves as the vessel for this self-care health-care mission.