Effect of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Training on First Clinical Day Stress in First-Year Nursing Students

The Effect of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Training on Reducing First Clinical Day Stress in First-Year Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical practice is a fundamental component of nursing education; however, it can be a major source of stress, particularly for first-year students. The first clinical day is often associated with high levels of anxiety due to uncertainty, fear of making mistakes, and perceived inadequacy.

Mindfulness-based approaches have been shown to enhance coping skills and facilitate adaptation to clinical environments. However, most existing interventions are long-term, and evidence regarding short, pre-clinical interventions is limited.

This randomized controlled trial aims to examine the effect of a brief mindfulness-based training administered one day before clinical placement on reducing anticipatory stress and first clinical day stress among first-year nursing students. Participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Data will be collected using the Perceived Stress Scale for Nursing Students and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).

The findings are expected to contribute to evidence-based improvements in pre-clinical preparation in nursing education.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stress; Mindfulness; Clinical Practice; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; Mindful Breathing Meditation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Brief Mindfulness-Based Training

Detailed Description

Clinical stress negatively affects nursing students' learning processes, self-confidence, and clinical performance. The first clinical experience is particularly associated with increased stress and anxiety levels.

Mindfulness-based interventions help individuals regulate stress responses by promoting non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. While previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness programs, they have predominantly focused on long-term interventions.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term mindfulness-based training delivered one day prior to clinical practice. The study uniquely examines both anticipatory stress (before clinical exposure) and experienced stress (after the first clinical day).

The intervention includes breathing awareness, body awareness, and short mindfulness exercises delivered in a four different sessions time before first clinical experince. The results are expected to provide practical and evidence-based contributions to nursing education.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 63
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Isparta, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• First-year nursing students
• First clinical practice experience
• Voluntary participation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study
• Prior awareness training received
• Absence

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Brief Mindfulness-Based Training; The intervention planned in the study was a brief mindfulness-based training program. Students in the intervention group, preparing for their initial clinical practice, received mindfulness-based training in four different sessions before their clinical internships. The training included short mindfulness exercises aimed at breath awareness, body awareness, awareness of thoughts and feelings, reducing stress, and increasing present moment awareness.	Behavioral: Brief Mindfulness-Based Training; The intervention planned in this study is a brief mindfulness-based training program. Students in the experimental group, preparing for their first clinical practice, received four separate mindfulness-based training sessions before their first clinical day experience. The training included breath awareness, body awareness, awareness of thoughts and feelings, and short mindfulness exercises. Students in the experimental group completed the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) before the mindfulness training session and the Perceived Stress Scale one day before the clinical practice. Students in the control group completed both the MAAS and the Perceived Stress Scale one day before the clinical practice. Students in both the experimental and control groups completed the MAAS and the Perceived Stress Scale again at the end of their first clinical day. Differences between the groups will be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the intervention on stress and mindful awarenes
No Intervention: Control Group; The control group students will receive routine clinical preparation as part of the standard nursing curriculum. No additional intervention or training will be administered prior to their first clinical practice. Participants in this group will proceed with their usual pre-clinical orientation process and will not receive the mindfulness-based training provided to the intervention group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceived clinical stress level	Measured using the Perceived Stress Scale for Nursing Students	T0: One day before first clinical day practice T1: End of first clinical day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mindfulness level	Measured using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)	T0: Pre-intervention T1: End of first clinical day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Suleyman Demirel University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 19, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): February 26, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 4, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 4, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 4, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Randomized controlled trial; Nursing education; mindfullness; clinical stres; First clinical day
• Other Study ID Numbers: MINDFUL-NURS-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No