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Senior Lecturer Tammy Casselson, who completed a Victorian Skills Authority Fellowship in embedding mindfulness and wellbeing in Vocational Education and Training, said implementing programs across a range of sectors could improve mental health, resilience and performance.

The Fellowship found that mental health challenges were at an all-time high for staff and students in Vocational Education and Training and the dual sector, with high attrition rates highlighting the crucial need for building resilience amongst staff and students.

One in five people experience symptoms of mental ill-health, and around 60 per cent of people living with a mental illness do not seek help. Suicide is a leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44, and nine people die by suicide across the country every day.

Research shows mindfulness-based interventions have been effective in improving overall wellbeing, attention, concentration, stress management, and mental and physical health. 

“This is not just a course. This will have real, tangible benefit for students and flow through to their careers, helping them cope with the stresses of being a nurse,” Ms Casselson said.

“This will have an impact on every facet of their life.

“We know the benefits of mindfulness – whether that’s at primary or secondary school or in the workplace. But embedding it into our curriculum, especially for ‘high stress’ careers, will really make a difference to these nursing students.”

Ms Casselson said the Mindfulness Based Wellbeing Program would help participants develop skills to thrive in their careers and personal lives, including better focus in the classroom, a reduction in stress, improved resilience and better regulation of emotions.

In addition to introducing the program, Holmesglen Institute will be conducting research to assess the impact of the mindfulness-based wellbeing program on the students and evaluating the most effective method to embed this material into the course. 

To find out more about our training, visit our nursing courses page.