Impacting Well-Being and Resiliency of Pediatric Critical-Care Nurses Through Implementation of MINDBODYSTRONG

Growing numbers of clinicians are dealing with mental and behavioral health issues, including burnout, depression, and suicidal ideation. Prevalence of these conditions in pediatric critical-care (PCC) nurses is reported to be as high as 42%-77%.

The purpose of this evidence-based quality improvement project was to implement a cognitive behavioral skills-building (CBSB) program to improve well-being and resiliency in PCC nurses.

The 7-week MINDBODYSTRONG (MBS) program was implemented with two cohorts of neonatal/PCC nurses in a 222-bed academic, tertiary care pediatric hospital, using a virtual platform and offering 1 sequential session per week. Each participant was asked to complete an anonymous baseline and post-program survey that included the following measures: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS4), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), and a Single Item Measure of Burnout. Post-program surveys also included a MBS program evaluation.

Fifteen RNs registered for and completed the MBS program. 93.3% completed both the baseline and post-program survey. Results demonstrated positive clinical effects across all four mental health measures with large effects noted in the GAD-2 and PSS-4, and small effects noted in the PHQ-2 and the Single Item Measure of Burnout. 100% of participants found MBS helpful and recommended that it be offered to a wider audience.

Implementation of the MBS CBSB program demonstrated clinical effectiveness on measures of anxiety, perceived stress, depression, and burnout in PCC nurses. The program was well received by participants. Strategies for broader implementation should be explored.