From stress to strength: A guide to building resilience

When the Covid pandemic disrupted the way we live and learn, nursing students found themselves at the sharp edge of stress and uncertainty. But for one ACU researcher, the pandemic also highlighted an urgent opportunity: to better understand how resilience works across cultures.

Associate Professor Louisa Lam co-led an international study to shed light on how nursing students from different cultural contexts coped with academic and psychological pressures during the Covid pandemic.

The research – partially funded by Health Professionals Bank, a subsidiary of Teachers Mutual Bank Limited (TMBL) – is the first of its kind to investigate and compare academic resilience, psychological resilience, self-efficacy, and psychological distress among nursing students in Hong Kong and Australia. 

The findings, published in Nurse Education in Practice, underscore the vital role of resilience training in nurse education.

“I have always been passionate about supporting nursing students,” Louisa said.

“Not only in developing their clinical skills but also in preparing them for the emotional and mental challenges of the profession.

“The pandemic imposed unprecedented stress and disruption to education, which exacerbated levels of psychological distress among students.”

Having trained as a nurse in Hong Kong before migrating to Australia 30 years ago, Louisa saw a unique opportunity to compare the experiences of students in both countries. 

“I appreciate the cultural differences between the two countries, and I wanted to explore resilience among nursing students in both Australia and Hong Kong to better understand the pressures they face and how we can help them thrive.”

Surprising results, striking differences

The study, conducted with a collaborative research team, uncovered some unexpected results.

“We found that nursing students in Hong Kong exhibited lower levels of academic resilience, psychological resilience, and self-efficacy compared to their Australian counterparts,” Louisa said.

“Additionally, Hong Kong students showed higher levels of psychological distress. While we anticipated some differences due to cultural and educational variations, the extent of the disparity was unexpected.”

The findings suggest that factors such as workload, financial pressure, and family expectations weigh heavily on students, particularly in Hong Kong. 

What struck Louisa most was not the importance of resilience itself – long known to be essential for student wellbeing – but rather how cultural context shapes the way resilience is built and sustained.

“These findings highlight the importance of culturally sensitive interventions in supporting resilience among nursing students,” she said.

Teaching resilience in the classroom

The implications of this work are significant. The research team hopes their findings will lead to the development of targeted, resilience-building educational interventions within undergraduate nurse education.

“By understanding the specific needs and challenges faced by nursing students in different cultural contexts, educators can design programs that enhance students’ resilience, self-efficacy, and overall psychological wellbeing,” she said.

Ultimately, the goal is to improve student retention, academic success, and professional readiness, and in doing so, help shape a healthier and more sustainable nursing workforce for the future.

Build your own resilience

For students wondering how they can strengthen their own resilience, the message is reassuring: resilience isn’t fixed – it can be nurtured.

“Resilience isn’t something people are simply born with – it can be nurtured,” she said.

“Practical steps include building strong peer networks, practising self-care, and seeking support early when challenges arise. 

“Small daily habits, like reflecting on positive experiences, can make a big difference.”

And while individual effort is key, the responsibility doesn’t fall on students alone. 

“Universities also have a role to play in creating environments where students feel safe, supported, and able to grow.”

Looking forward

Professor Lam and her team are set to begin the next phase of this research by investigating the impact of the ‘Three Good Things’ cognitive reframing technique (CRT), a positive psychology intervention aimed at improving students’ psychological and academic resilience. 

This research offers a hopeful reminder: with the right focus on resilience, we can prepare graduates who are not only clinically capable but also mentally strong, adaptable, and ready for the challenges of a demanding profession.

Louisa Lam is Associate Professor in Nursing at ACU’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Her expertise, among other areas, lies in workforce management such as nurses' work satisfaction burnout and resilience.