Date of Conferral
2-9-2026
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Jonas Nguh
Abstract
Background: High stress and burnout among maternity unit nurses negatively impact both nurse well-being and patient care quality. Research indicates that nurse burnout is associated with impaired cognitive function, reduced emotional connection with patients, and suboptimal job performance, all of which directly impact patient safety. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a comprehensive staff education program teaching evidence-based self-care strategies while assessing organizational support systems for nurse wellness. Methods: This three-phase quality improvement project utilized Lewin’s change management model combined with the ADDIE instructional design framework. Phase I (baseline assessment) involved 17 participating maternity nurses who completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Areas of Worklife Survey (AWS). Phase II implemented a comprehensive staff education program covering stress identification, evidence-based self-care strategies, and personal action planning. Phase III (post-intervention assessment) re-administered the MBI and AWS to evaluate changes and identify workplace factors requiring organizational intervention. Results: Baseline assessment revealed moderate emotional exhaustion (mean = 23.4 on 0-54 scale), low-to-moderate depersonalization (mean = 8.6 on 0-30 scale), and high personal accomplishment (mean = 36.8 on 0-48 scale). The AWS identified community support as the strongest dimension (mean = 4.2 out of 5), while control received the lowest rating (mean = 2.4). Post-education knowledge assessment showed 100% correct identification of self-care definitions and 70.6% comprehensive understanding of evidence-based strategies. Attitude assessments revealed 82.3% positive intentions to implement mindfulness techniques and 88.2% for deep breathing exercises. Strong correlations emerged between workplace control and burnout measures, with control showing negative correlations with emotional exhaustion (r = -0.52) and depersonalization (r = -0.41), while positively correlating with personal accomplishment (r = +0.58). Conclusions: This project established a comprehensive framework for addressing nurse burnout through evidence-based education while identifying critical organizational factors requiring intervention. The strong correlations between workplace control and all burnout dimensions indicate that individual self-care strategies must be paired with systemic organizational changes to produce sustained improvements in nurse wellness and patient care quality.
Recommended Citation
Olive, Charisma, "Staff Education to Enhance Self-Care Support for Nurses" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 19124.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/19124
