Addressing Nursing Students' Anxiety During Simulation Sessions: A Pilot Intervention Study

Background: Although simulation-based education plays a vital role in nursing education, it consistently induces high levels of anxiety among nursing students. This study aimed to implement a mindfulness intervention to alleviate anxiety in nursing students during simulation sessions. Method: This randomized controlled trial study included 54 nursing students. Both survey and emotion track system data were collected and analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The intervention effectively reduced anxiety among students in the experimental group compared with students in the control group during simulation sessions. The frequency (F[1, 53] = 6.145, p = .016), intensity (F[1, 51] = 3.771, p = .050), and duration of anxiety felt by students (F[1, 50] = 4.223, p = .017) decreased after the intervention. However, no long-term effects of the intervention were identified. Conclusion: The implementation of a mindfulness intervention successfully alleviated anxiety among nursing students during simulation. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(9):577-583.]