Cultivating Mindfulness to Promote Self-Care and Well-Being in Perioperative Nurses

Nursing has long been regarded as a stress-filled profession; the perioperative environment in particular is considered especially challenging. Chronic stress and burnout may have detrimental effects not only on perioperative nurses but also on their coworkers, employers, and patients. Nurses often sacrifice their own needs to care for others. Nurses must first take care of themselves, however, to sustain their optimal ability to provide care for patients. The cultivation of mindfulness is one way that perioperative nurses may promote self-care and well-being. This article discusses mindfulness and its history, the potential benefits and applications to perioperative nursing, and suggestions for cultivating mindfulness. Mindfulness research, practice, and education and the implications of mindfulness meditation in the perioperative environment are also discussed.