A Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Acute Care Nursing Staff: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Healthcare professionals, particularly acute care nurses, experience high rates of burnout.
• Burnout negatively impacts nurse well-being and patient care quality.
• Mindfulness interventions are explored as potential strategies to mitigate burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, daily mindfulness-based smartphone application in reducing burnout among acute care nursing staff.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on perceived stress, mindfulness levels, and resilience in nurses.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest design with a midpoint evaluation was used.
• 31 nursing staff from cardiovascular acute care units participated.
• Standardized instruments measured burnout, mindfulness, stress, and resilience.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in perceived stress and personal burnout were observed.
• Mindfulness scores significantly increased over the study period.
• No statistically significant changes were found in resilience scores.

Conclusions:

• A brief, daily mindfulness smartphone application may be a viable tool to enhance the well-being of cardiovascular nurses.
• Mindfulness apps can be considered a component of self-care strategies for nurses.
• Further research into digital mindfulness interventions for healthcare professionals is warranted.