Authors

  1. Butler, Ryan

Article Content

Clinical postconference provides opportunities for introducing and enhancing gratitude practices among prelicensure nursing students. Gratitude activities engage students in the reflective process and encourage positive perspective taking. Beginning the clinical debrief by expressing gratitude creates a supportive environment for students to then share and reflect on the more challenging aspects of their clinical experiences. This simple gratitude activity can be practiced in a variety of clinical settings with students of all levels. During this activity, students reflect on the clinical day and take turns voicing appreciation for any aspects of their clinical experiences. This often consists of a wide range of experiences and interactions, such as gratitude for new opportunities, meaningful moments with patients, and support from peers or nurse preceptors. Gratitude fosters connection and engagement, develops emotional intelligence, and provides an overall sense of well-being. Expressing appreciation in a group format also allows students to understand what experiences and behaviors are valued by their peers, fostering a spirit of teamwork and collaboration. Consistent implementation of this activity allows students to develop a habit of gratitude that they can take with them into professional practice. It becomes routine to finish a clinical experience and reflect on it with gratitude. As more nurses experience burnout and compassion fatigue, effective and easy-to-implement strategies for practicing self-care and building resilience are needed. By teaching students to pause and reflect on what went well, they are better equipped to persevere through difficult situations.