Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Keywords
undergraduate, nursing student, self-care, mHealth, self-care agency
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Degree Level
Graduate
Advisor/Mentor
Patton, Susan
Committee Member
Patton, Susan
Second Committee Member
Taylor, Megan
Abstract
Background: Self-care is an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) competency for new graduate nurses and functions as a protective factor against burnout. Progress toward achieving self-care is difficult to define and assess within undergraduate nursing curricula. Local problem: Faculty expressed uncertainty regarding how existing curricular efforts supported student self-care education.
Methods: A six-week quality improvement initiative was implemented during Fall 2025 at a public university in the South-Central United States. First-semester prelicensure nursing students (N = 100) received access to the Moodfit mobile application. Academic motivators and participation facilitators were tailored to support engagement. Self-care agency was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Appraisal of Self-Care Agency Scale–Revised. Process measures evaluated feasibility and fidelity. Results: Self-care agency improved significantly (mean score increase = 1.49, p = .013). Greater academic facilitator use was associated with larger improvements. Conclusions: A brief, app-based intervention integrated into early nursing education improved self-care agency with minimal faculty burden, supporting feasibility and alignment with American Association of Colleges of Nursing self-care competency standards.
Citation
Young, S. C., Patton, S., & Taylor, M. E. (2026). The Utility of the Moodfit App in Improving Self-Care Agency in Undergraduate Nursing Students. The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/nursstudent/49
