Digital Repository Masters Theses Spring 2026 Anxiety-Reduction Training for Faculty to use With Practical Nursing Students Melissa Johnston Weber State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.weber.edu/collection/wsudoctoral Johnston, M. 2026. Anxiety-Reduction Training for Faculty to use With Practical Nursing Students. Weber State University Doctoral Projects. https://cdm.weber.edu/digital/collection/WSUDoctoral This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Weber State University Archives Digital Repository. For more information, please contact archives@weber.edu. WSU REPOSITORY MSN/DNP Anxiety-Reduction Traning for Faculty to use With Practical Nursing Students Project Title by Melissa Johnston Student’s Name A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTERS OF NURSING Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing Dumke College of Health Professions WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Ogden, UT 4/25/26 Date Melissa Johnston, BSN, RN, MSN Student 4/25/26 Student Name, Credentials (electronic signature) Date 4/25/26 MSN Project Faculty (electronic signature) Date 4/25/26 Anne Kendrick (electronic signature) DNP, RN, CNE MSN Program Director Note: The program director must submit this form and paper. Date 1 Anxiety-Reduction Training for Faculty to use With Practical Nursing Students Melissa Johnston Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing Weber State University Anne Kendrick MSN Project April 25, 2026 2 Abstract Purposes/Aims: The purpose of this project was to develop a structured anxiety-reduction training program for practical nursing faculty to support first-semester students during written examinations and laboratory skill pass-offs. Rationale/Background: Anxiety among nursing students has been widely documented as a contributor to impaired academic performance, decreased clinical judgment, and increased risk of burnout. Despite recommendations that nursing programs incorporate coping and stressmanagement instruction, many practical nursing programs lack structured faculty training in anxiety-reduction strategies. Methods: Guided by Lewin’s change theory, a structured anxiety-reduction training program for faculty was created, which included an experiential workshop, standardized calming scripts, cognitive reframing education, faculty self-regulation reflection, and a Quick Calm toolkit. Preand post-training surveys were developed to measure faculty awareness, confidence, and perceived competence in applying anxiety-reduction strategies. Results: It is anticipated that faculty confidence in recognizing and addressing student anxiety will improve following training. Increased consistency in calming language and evaluation is expected to promote psychological safety and reduce debilitating student anxiety during performance-based assessments. Conclusions: Faculty training in anxiety-reduction strategies can strengthen student resilience, enhance clinical reasoning, and support safer patient care. Findings may contribute to future research on faculty self-regulation, student co-regulation, and educational outcomes. Keywords: nursing student anxiety, faculty development, anxiety reduction, practical nursing education, psychological safety 3 Anxiety-Reduction Training for Faculty to use With Practical Nursing Students First-semester practical nursing (PN) instructors observe the uncontrollable and debilitating anxiety students experience with in-classroom exams and skill performance in the practice lab setting (Reed, 2022). This is a concern for both instructors and students. Students can become so anxious that they are unable to perform well on both didactic exams and skill pass-offs. Instructors can visualize the physical and academic toll that anxiety takes on students, impacting their ability to perform well on exams. By implementing anxiety-reducing techniques, instructors can help students manage their anxiety (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). The goal of this project is to have anxiety-reducing interventions in place for instructors to empower students with coping skills to lessen this anxiety. Statement of Problem Anxiety among nursing students has gained worldwide attention due to the potential impact on students’ well-being, experiences, and academic and clinical performance (Flynn et al, 2025). Students also report overwhelming test anxiety, which can result in poor exam scores. Schools of nursing, healthcare institutions, and hospitals all have a stake in helping student nurses manage and cope with stress (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). The anxiety students experience during written exams often parallels the anxiety seen in laboratory pass-offs and simulation settings. In each case, the stress arises from performance evaluation under observation, fear of failure, and uncertainty. Thus, interventions that reduce test anxiety are likely to also benefit students in simulation and skill performance contexts. Compared to other health education students, nursing students have been found to have higher levels of stress. At a technical college in the Western United States, there are no interventions in place for faculty to inculcate students with anxiety-reducing skills or to help with 4 uncontrolled testing anxiety in the classroom and lab setting. Reed (2022) stated that students have described nursing simulation as terrifying, and they are especially fearful of the unknown and of making mistakes in front of others. Exam anxiety is also described as the feelings of tension, apprehension, and autonomous activation, which occur during assessments in successbased situations (Vasli et al., 2021). To combat the far-reaching negative effects anxiety can have both for the clinician and patients, this issue must be addressed. Creating an atmosphere of safety and trust puts the student more at ease to combat the anxiety stressors. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that nursing schools develop and support instruction on coping with stress and self-management of wellbeing to increase the likelihood of success in nursing school and the workforce (WalrathHollister, 2024). Furthermore, findings from Reed (2022) suggested that implementing presimulation activities can increase students' comfort in this environment, thereby reducing anxiety. Teaching these skills to students can improve patient care and prevent nursing burnout. Significance of the Project There are three main reasons this project is essential to achieving a favorable outcome for first-semester PN students. First, a certain level of anxiety is required to drive success. Won (2024) suggests that instructor-led clinical practice rotations provide nursing students with unique yet anxiety-provoking learning experiences. Some anxiety is good to engage the student in performing the task, yet too much uncontrolled anxiety can be debilitating. Second, nursing students require nurse educators to support them in learning how to manage stress and achieve a balance between work and life, skills that they can apply in nursing practice (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). A study was conducted to examine the relationships between psychological factors (stress, depression, and anxiety) and academic burnout among nursing students (Sarfika et al., 5 2025). The results showed that stress is the most significant factor contributing to burnout. Lastly, having instructors who are educated on reducing anxiety-relieving techniques to lessen student anxiety and exhibit a tone of safety and security in the classroom and lab setting can diminish debilitating anxiety. By instructors implementing student anxiety-reducing techniques, creating a safe learning environment, and managing student anxiety, the student, instructor, and patient can benefit. The student can benefit from successfully managing their anxiety, which can enable them to focus better and perform more effectively on their exams and laboratory pass-offs. Reducing anxiety may not guarantee the student passes, but it will enable the student to focus on the task and ensure safe implementation. The instructor can benefit by teaching anxiety-reduction techniques to enhance student success and the learning experience. The patient can benefit by receiving safe care from a well-educated nurse. Review of the Literature This literature review aims to explore how implementing a structured student anxietyreduction training program, compared with current practice, affects faculty confidence in using anxiety-reduction strategies with students during the first semester of academic study. This literature review will discuss Lewin’s change theory framework, its strengths, and its limitations to the project. It will also cover search strategies and the synthesis of the literature found. Framework Lewin’s change theory is the model used for this project. Burnes (2020) explained Lewin’s three-step model as unfreeze-change-refreeze. Lewin’s theory is widely used in nursing education and practice change because it is simple, systematic, and effective for introducing new 6 behaviors. It emphasizes creating awareness of the need for change, supporting people through the transition, and embedding the new practice into routine culture. Lewin’s change theory is a sequential model. It facilitates the analysis of dynamic processes involving deep shifts in norms, values, and professional practices (Vasel, 2025). By having faculty implement anxiety-reducing techniques with students, students can better control their anxiety. The specific steps of the model align with the project in multiple ways. First, the unfreezing step creates faculty awareness that the current approach is insufficient by presenting evidence on how student anxiety impacts learning and clinical performance. The second step of change includes structured anxiety-reduction training with faculty and encouraging them to practice using these techniques with students in simulation and lab settings. The final step, which involves refreezing, ensures that the new practice becomes a consistent part of faculty use, allowing them to employ anxiety-reduction strategies with students (Vasel, 2025). This will be achieved by developing checklists for faculty to use in the classroom and lab, ensuring that the strategies also become part of testing and routine skill pass-offs. Strengths and Limitations A strength of Lewin’s change theory is that it is simple to use and effectively brings about change. The purpose and strength of incorporating Lewin’s change theory is supported in the literature (Vasel, 2025; Memon et al. 2021), compelling schools to adopt more innovative and flexible approaches to equip students with the necessary tools to navigate a dynamic and changing world. Driving limitations through the change theory is exactly that, change, and shaping teachers’ openness to change. 7 A limitation of the model is that it is unlikely to succeed without faculty buy-in. If the structured anxiety-reduction techniques are not consistently incorporated, the framework is useless. Search Strategies A literature search was conducted to identify current evidence using Google Scholar, Weber State University’s Stewart Library’s One Search, and Advanced Search (which spans multiple databases) to direct initial exploration. Only articles published from 2020 to 2025 were included in this literature review to ensure the information remains current. The search included keywords of anxiety, reduction, first semester nursing students, reducing, simulation, coping, academic stress, test anxiety, strategies, and clinicals. Various Boolean combinations were created using the keywords to broaden the search. Synthesis of the Literature Three themes were identified in the literature: a) some anxiety motivates learning and performance, b) nursing schools should support instruction on coping with stress, and c) low emotional stability may lead to poor performance. These themes are further explored, and their impact on anxiety is discussed in the next section. Some Anxiety Motivates Learning and Performance Current literature supports that faculty should help students to reframe their thinking about their own anxiety, knowing that some anxiety can be a good thing, which motivates them to perform better (Reed, 2022). Students have described nursing simulation as terrifying, and they are especially fearful of the unknown and of making mistakes in front of others. Moderate levels of anxiety may improve performance, but excessive anxiety can hinder learning and lead to low self-confidence and performance issues. 8 Many students experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, when performing in reallife situations. The high levels of anxiety experienced by nursing students are a concern internationally since anxiety can interfere with learning by affecting the performance of nursing studies and their ability to focus during their clinical practicum (Lai et al., 2022). Nursing Schools Should Support Instruction on Coping With Stress Compared to other health education students, nursing students have been shown to have higher levels of stress (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). Nursing students report that stress and anxiety are related to the amount of information they must learn and perform, causing emotional, physical, and academic distress. Nursing students participating in therapeutic self-care are more likely to manage stress more effectively in the workforce. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recommends that nursing schools develop and support instruction on coping with stress and self-management of well-being to increase the likelihood of success in nursing school and the workforce (Wallrath-Hollister, 2024). Lai et al. (2022) found that clinical teachers typically focus on the negative aspects of nursing students' performance, which is a significant contributor to the stressful relationships between clinical teachers and nursing students. Additionally, Ginsburg et al. (2022) identified that students with generalized anxiety who experience excessive and persistent worry, often triggered by academic expectations, are preoccupied with fears of making mistakes, failing tests or assignments, and disappointing their teacher and parents. All of these things can negatively impair their attention, academic performance, and classroom behavior. Low Emotional Stability may Lead to Poor Performance According to Fuladyandi et al. (2024), student performance is also influenced by other important factors, including content mastery, individual stress and anxiety management, and 9 various individual and contextual factors. Compared to nursing students with high emotional stability, those with low emotional stability exhibited higher anxiety levels post-practicum (Lai et al., 2022). Low emotional stability may lead to poor performance because of the time spent worrying about performance and ability, which causes a loss of focus on the work that needs to be completed in the moment. Cruz et al. (2022) also supports the fact that undergraduate nursing students may experience feelings of hopelessness and anguish in the clinical learning experience, directly impacting their academic performance. Summary of Literature Review Findings and Application to the Project The main findings of the literature review were that some anxiety motivates learning and performance. Anxiety cannot be removed, but behaviors can be modified to be successful. Low emotional stability may lead to poor performance. Nursing schools should support instruction on coping with stress. Faculty being educated on how to control and support student anxiety, implementing coping mechanisms, and being familiar with the students' level of anxiety can result in decreased academic anxiety, improved student performance, and safer overall patient care in the workforce. Project Plan and Implementation The plan to solve the debilitating effects of PN student anxiety before in-class exams and laboratory pass-off settings is to educate and train faculty on implementing student anxietyreducing techniques. Where there is currently no plan in place, this will be introduced to the faculty during a faculty meeting. Faculty will then be trained appropriately via workshops, prepass-off scripts, anxiety-aware rubrics, cognitive reframing, and faculty self-regulation awareness using a Quick Calm toolkit. Plan and Implementation Process 10 The intended recipients of this project are the faculty of PN students. All training will be conducted and presented in a student anxiety reduction workshop and a supplemental training module. The setting will be the practice laboratory and can be incorporated into classroom testing. Training will begin in a faculty “feel it first” workshop. The purpose is to build buy-in by letting faculty experience anxiety-reduction strategies before teaching them. Faculty will be trained, starting with a timed skill of donning sterile gloves, with observers present to monitor their progress. Following the timed skill, an immediate debrief will occur, asking questions such as “What did your body feel like?” and “What made it hard to think?” Then, two techniques will be introduced to reduce anxiety: positive cognitive cues and muscle release. This workshop will enable faculty to better understand student anxiety and shift their mindset from “they should know this” to “how can I as faculty support regulation?” Ginsburg et al. (2022) found that knowledge of anxiety includes identifying core symptoms such as physiological arousal and somatic symptoms (e.g., heart racing, stomach aches), maladaptive cognitions, and behavioral avoidance. Evidence-based strategies for anxiety reduction target these core manifestations and include teaching relaxation skills, modeling and teaching how to challenge and change anxious thoughts, and reducing anxiety-related avoidance. The second step of training will incorporate a standardized pre-pass-off script, training staff to use the same calming language every time. This script aims to reduce the evaluator's fear, align faculty messaging across sections, and lessen anxiety. An anxiety-aware check-off rubric will then be implemented. Faculty will be trained to separate anxiety behaviors from unsafe practice. Faculty will be able to develop a focus on common anxiety behaviors and discuss whether these are normal stress responses. A practice 11 activity will take place, where all instructors will score the activity individually and then discuss any discrepancies as a group. This will reduce unintentional penalization, improve inter-rater reliability, and build faculty confidence as evaluators. The fourth step of the implementation process will be teaching cognitive reframing language. Faculty will be trained to coach mindset, not just skills; to replace deficit language with reframing language; and to practice converting common feedback phrases. The goal is to reduce student shame, build psychological safety, and encourage persistence after a failed passoff. A positive learning atmosphere supports the students’ health and well-being (Lai et al., 2022). The faculty will be trained in self-regulation awareness, which trains staff to regulate their own stress. Faculty reflection will occur with questions such as “How do I behave when I am rushed?”, “What do students mirror from me?”, and “What tone do I bring into pass-offs?” Prior to the student performing the skill, the faculty will ground themselves with an anxietyreducing technique, which will enable students to co-regulate with faculty, improve the learning climate, and, in turn, lead to calmer evaluators and students. Zarrinabadi et al. (2025) reported that educational programs should prioritize teachers’ well-being because teachers are the most valuable part of the educational system and play a crucial role in students’ learning. Finally, a faculty anxiety-reduction toolkit will be created to help faculty use shared tools. The Quick Calm toolkit will contain a laminated pre-pass-off script, three breathing techniques, a rubric language guide, and a script for what to say when a student fails. This will promote consistency, sustain change beyond initial training, and support new and adjunct faculty. Interdisciplinary Team 12 The interdisciplinary team for this project comprises of nursing faculty and students in a PN program. Each played a unique role in the project. PN Faculty. The PN faculty, who are Master's-prepared registered nurses, will contribute to this project by learning and using anxiety-reducing techniques. Without faculty implementing these techniques, the impact on students will not occur. The faculty must understand the plan and be committed to creating anxiety-reducing results. Student nurse. The PN student nurse will contribute to this project by implementing the anxiety-reducing techniques presented and modeled by the faculty. Using these techniques during skill pass-off and testing can manage anxiety and promote positive student outcomes. Description and Development of Project Deliverables This project includes the development of multiple complementary deliverables to support faculty-led efforts to reduce student anxiety during PN skills education and classroom exams. Collectively, these resources provide education, reinforcement, and evaluation of anxiety-aware instructional practices. Student Anxiety Reduction Flyer for Faculty. The flyer was created to advertise the anxiety-reduction faculty training focused on fostering positivity in teaching students (see Appendix A). Zarrinabadi et al. (2025) found that when teachers feel competent in their jobs and perform their activities effectively and efficiently, they tend to have a more positive experience with teaching and feel more positive about their profession. Pre- and Post-Surveys. Building faculty confidence and knowledge of anxiety-reduction techniques is imperative when passing off students, whether in the classroom or in the laboratory. The surveys were created to gauge instructors’ awareness about anxiety, how to evaluate and assess student anxiety, and overall confidence in supporting students through 13 anxiety (see Appendix B). The pre-survey will be given to faculty before the training on anxiety and how to support students through it. The post-survey will be given after the faculty have implemented the anxiety-reducing techniques with students during skill pass-offs and didactic exams. The pre- and post-surveys will be compared to see the faculty's confidence and ability to manage student anxiety. Schools of nursing, healthcare institutions, and hospitals all have a stake in helping student nurses reduce and manage stress (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). PowerPoint Training. A faculty PowerPoint training was created to give faculty evidence-based strategies for anxiety reduction including teaching relaxation skills, modeling and teaching how to challenge and change anxious thoughts, and reducing anxiety-related avoidance (see Appendix C). The training places faculty in a stressful situation to help them practice anxiety-reducing techniques and better support students in similar situations. Having faculty practice muscle release and positive cognitive cues can enhance their ability to teach these skills to students to improve their learning and retention. Quick Calm Toolkit. Recognizing anxiety within student behaviors is a skill that is sometimes inherent but most likely taught. A toolkit was created for faculty to help ground themselves and execute coping mechanisms before they mentor and lead students (see Appendix D). The toolkit includes how to do box breathing, muscle release, grounding, and posture reset. Faculty who are aware of and practice these strategies can better support students in reducing anxiety throughout pass-offs. Walrath-Hollister (2024) confirmed that mindfulness (meditation, yoga, mindful breathing, centering oneself, and positive self-talk) has been shown to reduce stress, relax and calm the mind, and boost attention and memory. Timeline 14 The proposed timeline for implementing anxiety-reduction education for PN faculty will span an eight-week period (see Appendix E). Week one and two are for preparation and alignment. Fliers will be distributed, and the Quick Calm toolkit will be printed in preparation for the faculty training. In week three, a workshop will be presented to the faculty, introducing two anxiety-reduction strategies. Week four will involve administering the pre-survey to assess faculty confidence. Beginning in week five, during a faculty meeting, the positive cognitive cues will be reintroduced to the faculty. During week six in a faculty meeting, a reflection activity on sterile glove donning introduced at the workshop, will be revisited. For week seven, the faculty anxiety reduction toolkit will be distributed. Finally, during week eight, the faculty post-survey to assess confidence will be handed out and reviewed for feedback. During this proposed timeline, the faculty’s confidence in their education on anxietyreducing techniques will be continually evaluated. Evaluation will encompass all aspects of the proposed plan, including preparation and alignment, the workshop, and anxiety and reduction strategies. A pre- and post-confidence survey will be administered to faculty, and feedback will be reviewed. Finally, distribution of anxiety-reduction toolkits and revisiting cognitive cues and self-reflection on faculty's sterile-glove donning will be discussed. Project Evaluation Pre- and post-surveys will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of anxiety-reduction training for faculty. A formative evaluation using a pre-survey will be conducted during the faculty workshop presentation. Before the training, faculty will evaluate their awareness of anxiety, their ability to assess student anxiety, and their confidence in helping students manage anxiety using Likert-scale questions. Faculty will be able to implement the anxiety reduction 15 toolkit after their initial activity of donning sterile gloves and experimenting with their own feelings of anxiety. For a summative evaluation, faculty will implement anxiety-reducing techniques in their teaching and skill pass-offs, and rate their confidence in using them. The post-survey includes the same Likert-scale questions as the pre-survey, with three additional qualitative questions asking for faculty feedback on the training, challenges faced, and additional support needed. The pre- and post-surveys will be used to demonstrate the faculty’s confidence in implementing the anxiety-reducing techniques in classroom and lab settings and to measure whether this training was beneficial and any additional resources needed. Ethical Considerations This project emphasizes supportive learning environments while maintaining academic and patient-safety standards. It also reflects social responsibility by addressing student anxiety as a systemic educational issue rather than an individual deficit. By training faculty to recognize anxiety responses and consistently apply anxiety-awareness evaluation strategies, the project promotes equitable assessment practices. It reduces unintentional bias in high-stakes skills evaluations and in the classroom. All data collected will be handled in a manner that maintains individual privacy and confidentiality. Pre- and post-surveys will be anonymous, and no individual faculty member's name will be linked to responses. Due to the sensitive nature of anxiety and performance evaluation, the project prioritizes psychological safety. Faculty will be trained to use neutral, supportive language during skills pass-off and in the classroom, and to avoid labeling student behavior. Zarrinabadi et al. (2025) found that teachers who believe teaching is a skill that can be improved through appropriate strategies might be more willing to adopt new teaching and 16 management strategies in their classes. Teachers with a growth mindset believe in every student’s potential to improve, which naturally leads to autonomy-supportive practices that encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Transparent reporting of both positive and negative survey findings will be shared with faculty. Immediate student feedback during skill testing will be provided to the student to support the findings of Kuchler and Finestack (2022), who found that test-takers widely accept immediate feedback assessment techniques because of the immediate feedback received, the opportunity to learn while testing, the opportunity to receive partial credit, and the ability to know the test score upon test completion. This will enhance the pass-off for students and faculty. Discussion This project addresses anxiety in first-semester PN students as a program-wide issue rather than an individual weakness. Research shows that high anxiety can reduce focus and impair clinical judgment. To address this, the project provides faculty with simple, evidencebased tools, including brief experiential training, standardized calming scripts before skills testing cognitive reframing language, and a Quick Calm toolkit. These strategies promote psychological safety, consistent evaluation, and clearer thinking during performance-based assessments. This project supports the advancement of nursing practice by training faculty on anxietyreducing techniques to improve student confidence, strengthen clinical competence, and promote safer patient care. Future recommendations include tracking student anxiety levels and performance outcomes, embedding training into new-faculty orientation, and studying the longterm effects on retention and licensure success. Evidence-Based Solutions for Dissemination 17 The final project findings will be disseminated in a digital poster format to peers and faculty in the Master of Science in Nursing program in the Annie Taylor Dee School of Nursing at Weber State University. The project paper will also be available in a digital repository through the Weber State Stewart Library. Significance to the Advancement of Nursing Practice This project contributes to nursing knowledge by addressing student anxiety as a systemlevel educational issue rather than an individual student weakness. Anxiety in nursing education has been repeatedly linked to impaired academic performance, decreased clinical judgment, and increased risk of burnout (Lai et al., 2022; Sarfika et al., 2025). By equipping faculty with structured anxiety-reduction tools, this project advances evidence-informed teaching strategies that promote psychological safety, clinical competence, and student resilience. Where nursing education relies heavily on performance-based evaluation, such as skills pass-offs and simulations, unmanaged anxiety may interfere with safe clinical reasoning (Oliveira et al., 2023). Clinical reasoning affects the safety of the nursing student, the patient, and the nursing practice. Anxiety among nursing students has gained global attention due to its impact on learning, performance, and well-being (Flynn et al., 2025). Nursing students experience higher stress levels compared to other health profession students (Walrath-Hollister, 2024). Simulation and skills testing, in particular, are frequently described as “terrifying” and anxiety-provoking (Reed, 2022). Educating faculty on anxiety physiology, standardizing calming techniques, implementing anxiety awareness among faculty, encouraging faculty self-regulation, and providing tools to create a calming environment can propel nursing students. Therefore, this 18 project aligns evidence with practice, translating literature findings into faculty behaviors that directly affect PN students’ anxiety levels in their first semester. Implications There are several prospective strengths of this project. The project is supported by current literature and is evidence-based, integrating research on managing anxiety, coping strategies, and emotional stability. The project framework, Lewin’s change theory, is a strong theoretical framework that provides a structured implementation pathway and enhances sustainability. There are practical, tangible deliverables, and rather than placing sole responsibility on students, the project focuses on faculty behavior change and anxiety regulation modeling. On the contrary, this project has some potential limitations. Without consistent faculty adoption, the intervention may not become embedded in nursing practice. There is a small sample size and an eight-week short evaluation window. Finally, pre- and post-surveys rely on perceived confidence rather than objective behavioral measures. Recommendations The project could be improved by expanding the evaluation to include student-reported anxiety scores before and after implementation. Tracking objective outcomes, such as pass-off remediation rates and exam performance trends, could be evaluated. Lastly, integrating anxiety awareness into new faculty orientation could help ease anxiety among new faculty hires. There are several remaining gaps in the literature. There are limited studies specifically on PN programs and limited data actually linking anxiety reduction faculty training to patient safety outcomes. Finally, there is insufficient research examining faculty self-regulation and student co-regulation of their anxiety. Conclusions 19 Anxiety among first-semester PN students is a significant and growing concern that affects academic performance, engagement, and clinical judgment. Literature consistently demonstrates that while moderate anxiety may enhance motivation, excessive anxiety impairs learning, increases cognitive overload, and contributes to academic burnout (Reed, 2022; Sarfika et al., 2025). Nursing students report high levels of stress related to evaluation, fear of failure, and observation during skills pass-offs and simulation, and stress has been identified as a primary contributor to burnout and reduced performance (Lai et al., 2022; Walrath-Hollister, 2024). Despite strong evidence supporting coping instruction, many programs lack structured faculty training in anxiety-reduction techniques. This project addresses that gap through a structured faculty-focused intervention grounded in Lewin’s Change Theory. The implementation includes a “feel it first” experiential workshop, standardized pre-pass-off calming scripts, cognitive reframing education, faculty self-regulation reflection, and a Quick Calm toolkit to promote sustainability. Key findings from the literature emphasize that coping skills instruction, psychologically safe learning environments, and growth-mindset teaching approaches improve student well-being and performance. These findings are significant for first-semester PN students, who are particularly vulnerable to overwhelming stress due to transition demands. By equipping faculty with practical, evidence-based strategies, this project supports student resilience, faculty confidence, improved academic performance, and ultimately safer patient care outcomes. 20 References Burnes, B. (2020). The origins of Lewin's three-step model of change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 56(1), 32–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886319892685 Cruz Araújo, A. A., de Godoy, S., Arena Ventura, C. A., Rodolfo Silva, Í., Santos de Almeida, E. W., & Costa Mendes, I. A. (2022). Reflections on nursing students’ fear and anxiety arising from clinical practicums. Investigacion y Educacion en Enfermeria, 40(3), e13. https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v40n3e13 Flynn, D., Mthimunye, K., Mthimunye, B., Johnson, A., Douglas, J., & Alderson, J. (2025). 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Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 28(1), Article 157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-025-10120-x 23 Appendix A Student Anxiety Reduction Flyer for Faculty 24 Appendix B Pre- and Post-Surveys Faculty Anxiety Awareness Pre-Survey Instructions: Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement using the following scale: Scale Description 1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree Section A: Knowledge of Anxiety Item 1. I can identify common physiological signs of anxiety in nursing students (e.g., increased heart rate, muscle tension). 2. I can recognize cognitive signs of anxiety that interfere with student 1 2 3 4 5 25 performance (e.g., difficulty thinking clearly, negative self-talk). 3. I understand how anxiety can impair working memory and skill execution during pass-offs. Section B: Evaluation and Assessment Practices Item 1 2 3 4 5 3 4 5 4. I can distinguish anxiety-related behaviors from unsafe clinical practice during skills evaluation. 5. I feel confident applying an anxiety-aware rubric during skills pass-offs. 6. I believe anxietyaware evaluation promotes fairness and consistency across faculty. Section C: Faculty Mindset and Language Item 7. I view student anxiety as a normal stress response, 1 2 26 not a lack of preparation or motivation. 8. I feel prepared to use calming and supportive language prior to skills pass-offs. 9. I am comfortable using cognitive reframing language when providing student feedback. Section D: Faculty Self-Regulation and Modeling Item 10. I am aware of how my own stress and demeanor influence student anxiety during passoffs. 11. I intentionally use self-regulation or grounding techniques before evaluating students. 12. I believe faculty self-regulation contributes to a calmer and more supportive learning environment. 1 2 3 4 5 27 Section E: Overall Confidence Item 13. I feel confident supporting student regulation during skills pass-offs. 14. I feel prepared to implement anxiety-reduction strategies consistently in my teaching practice. 1 2 3 4 5 28 Faculty Anxiety Awareness Post-Survey Instructions: Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each statement using the following scale: Scale Description 1 Strongly Disagree 2 Disagree 3 Neutral 4 Agree 5 Strongly Agree Section A: Knowledge of Anxiety Item 1. I can identify common physiological signs of anxiety in nursing students (e.g., increased heart rate, muscle tension). 2. I can recognize cognitive signs of anxiety that interfere with student performance (e.g., difficulty thinking 1 2 3 4 5 29 clearly, negative self-talk). 3. I understand how anxiety can impair working memory and skill execution during pass-offs. Section B: Evaluation and Assessment Practices Item 1 2 3 4 5 3 4 5 4. I can distinguish anxiety-related behaviors from unsafe clinical practice during skills evaluation. 5. I feel confident applying an anxiety-aware rubric during skills pass-offs. 6. I believe anxietyaware evaluation promotes fairness and consistency across faculty. Section C: Faculty Mindset and Language Item 7. I view student anxiety as a normal stress response, not a lack of 1 2 30 preparation or motivation. 8. I feel prepared to use calming and supportive language prior to skills pass-offs. 9. I am comfortable using cognitive reframing language when providing student feedback. Section D: Faculty Self-Regulation and Modeling Item 1 2 10. I am aware of how my own stress and demeanor influence student anxiety during passoffs. 11. I intentionally use self-regulation or grounding techniques before evaluating students. 12. I believe faculty self-regulation contributes to a calmer and more supportive learning environment. Section E: Overall Confidence 3 4 5 31 Item 1 2 3 4 5 13. I feel confident supporting student regulation during skills pass-offs. 14. I feel prepared to implement anxiety-reduction strategies consistently in my teaching practice. Post-Survey: 1. Which component of the faculty anxiety-reduction training most influenced your teaching or evaluation approach? 2. What challenges, if any, have you encountered when implementing anxiety-aware strategies? 3. What additional resources or support would help you sustain these practices? 32 Appendix C Faculty PowerPoint Training 33 34 35 Appendix D Quick Calm Toolkit 36 Appendix E Timeline