The Effects of a Restorative Intervention on Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Capacity to Direct Attention

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a restorative intervention on undergraduate nursing students' capacity to direct attention. METHOD: Kaplan and Kaplan's attention restoration theory, which describes and links concepts of directed attention, attention fatigue, and restorative environments, formed the theoretical basis for this research. A convenience sample consisted of 33 students randomly assigned to nonintervention and intervention groups. The intervention was a 1-hr walk in natural surroundings. Both groups completed study instruments prior to and following the intervention. FINDINGS: Intervention group students scored higher on a measure of quality of life at posttest (p < .05). Differences in a measure of perceived attention were not observed between groups over time. Both groups improved on other measures of attention; however, the results did not provide support for the hypotheses. CONCLUSION: Students were a highly functioning group participating in many activities they considered restorative, prior to the study.