Moral Distress: Using Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Interventions to Decrease Nurse Perceptions of Distress

Studies have shown that the moral distress experienced by nurses affects patient outcomes and staff engagement.

The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to implement a process for staff to cope with moral distress.

The 21-item Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) was administered pre- and postintervention to a sample of 56 oncology nurses to assess moral distress and whether it was alleviated with the use of mindfulness interventions. Chi-square analysis compared the frequency of morally distressing situations.

Moral distress was identified, with the finding that mindfulness interventions decreased nurse perceptions of distress. Healthcare providers offering a false sense of hope was the most frequently reported situation. Postintervention MDS-R survey results reflected a decrease in frequency of distress.