Feeling overwhelmed can lead to preventable errors in patient care, because caregivers become too rushed to “stop, look, and listen,” according to researchers from WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Chronic stress can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and lack of engagement. But in their study, 10 weeks of mindfulness training made a noticeable difference in nurses’ stress levels and patient satisfaction.
The Mindful Nursing Pilot Study compared 2 medical-surgical nursing units. Volunteers from one unit attended classes dedicated to improving mindfulness once a week; the control unit did not. The classes were held during both day and night shifts and in 30-minute sessions to minimize interruption of patient care. The pilot study curriculum focused on 3 main practices: breathing as a primary mindfulness tool, developing awareness of thoughts and feelings, and tips on how to be fully present during patient interactions.
Of those in the intervention unit, 43 employees (staff nurses, nurse aides, clinical secretaries, a unit manager, and a supervisor) participated in at least 1 class; about 60% attended ≥ 5 classes. Participants in the intervention unit were primarily female with tenure of ≤ 10 years on their nursing unit. Variable work schedules prevented most staff from attending all 10 classes, so classes were videotaped and could be watched at the staff member’s convenience. The researchers also sent weekly e-mails to participants to encourage practice and posted visual reminders around the unit, which were updated to match the current session topic being discussed in that week’s classes.
Postintervention scores on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale rose in the intervention group but remained the same in the control group. The researchers also used the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) assessment, which is based on 2 components: compassion satisfaction and burnout. Higher ProQOL scores on compassion satisfaction reflect greater professional satisfaction. Interestingly, the researchers say, burnout scores improved on the intervention unit, while the control unit saw both scores improve.
Patient satisfaction data were captured before, during, and immediately after the study. Scores for participants in the intervention unit increased by 32 points (to 88%) on “overall rating” and by 17 points (to 80%) on “communication with nurses.”
After the study, an evaluation indicated that the nurses also deemed the program a success. The participants’ qualitative responses were even more revealing than were the actual scores. One said, for example, “I am listening more without rushing to provide an answer or response.” Another said, “Being mindful and aware has given me control over my stress and emotions. I can find meaning and reward in everything I do.”
Source
Horner JK, Piercy BS, Eure L, Woodard EK. Appl Nurs Res. 2014;27(3):198-201.
doi: 10.1016/j.apnr.2014.01.003.