A Nature-Based Intervention to Support the Well-Being of Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Background: The high stress of nursing education can adversely affect students' well-being. Nature -based therapies aim to lessen stress. There is a gap in knowledge related to nature -based therapies and the nursing student population. The aims of this study were: (1) to describe the wellbeing of nursing students; and (2) to assess the effects of a nature -based intervention on students' anxiety, stress, relatedness, resilience, and well-being. Method:This descriptive study included 28 nursing students at a midwestern university. Participants completed online questionnaires before and after a nature -based intervention at an arboretum that consisted of five 1 -hour designated nature walks guided by an audio recording. Results: Participants' mean (SD) scores for well-being were classified as average before the intervention (54.3 [3.7]) and increased significantly after the intervention (55.3 [3.2]) (p = .04). Conclusion: With rising stress and anxiety levels among college students, nature interventions can support nursing students' overall wellbeing.