Date of Conferral

8-13-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Mary Martin

Abstract

In the emotionally demanding field of hospice and palliative care, the well-being of clinicians is critical. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project focused on implementing a staffing education initiative to address secondary traumatic stress (STS). I designed this staffing education project to enhance clinician awareness, resilience, and coping strategies while informing organizational leadership on how improved staffing models and support systems can mitigate STS. Hospice and palliative care clinicians are uniquely vulnerable to STS due to constant exposure to trauma, death, and grieving families. The guiding question for this project was: In hospice and palliative care clinicians, how does a structured educational intervention on STS prevention, compared to no formal STS education, affect clinician knowledge of STS risk factors and prevention strategies? The purpose was to enhance recognition and response to STS through education as well as inform leadership about the necessity of suitable staffing structures and wellness support. Data were collected using a 6-item post-intervention survey designed to assess clinician knowledge of STS risk factors and prevention strategies. Over 90% of participants (N = 132) demonstrated recognition of STS symptoms, awareness of the leadership role in prevention, and understanding of how to access Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and other supportive resources. These outcomes directly support the PICO question by indicating that a structured STS education intervention enhances clinician knowledge in key areas of prevention. This project advances nursing practice by promoting a culture of self-care, psychological safety, and professional sustainability.

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