Mindfulness training for nursing students at Holmesglen TAFE

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.

There were several critical findings about the current state of mental health in vocational education and training (VET):

• Mental health challenges are at an all-time high for both staff and students

• High attrition rates show the urgent need to build resilience in VET communities

• 1 in 5 people experience symptoms of mental ill-health

• Around 60% of people living with a mental illness do not seek help

• Suicide remains a leading cause of death for Australians aged 15–44, with nine people dying by suicide 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 nursing course. 

Ready to build resilience and well-being skills for your nursing career? Enrol in our Diploma of Nursing program today and be among the first to experience our groundbreaking mindfulness training.

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