Introduction
The problem of human stress resistance in various professions has long attracted the attention of scientists. There are many specialties in which a person begins to experience a feeling of inner emotional emptiness. Generally, it happens due to constant contact with other people or due to specific production circumstances. Moreover, increased perfectionism is common among nurses, which hurts the work process. It is associated with an increased reaction to imperfect actions or results, whereby one may try to achieve unnecessary perfection for a long time.
The topic is essential to study as it affects the success of the nursing practice and, therefore, the healthcare system. Perfectionism slows down workflow and places psychological strain on the nurse. Therefore, answering whether mindfulness-based interventions can reduce perfectionism among nursing students is essential.
Reduction of Nursing Students’ Perfectionism Through Mindfulness-Based Interventions
Positive Impacts of Mindfulness on Nurses’ Mental Health
There are many studies in this area, and most of them show that some interventions positively affect nurses’ mindfulness. Thus, Chen et al. (2021) state that mindfulness interventions significantly reduce depression. Moreover, it helps to cope with anxiety and stress, decreases intrusive thoughts related to perfectionism, and increases awareness among nursing students (Chen et al., 2021).
Mindfulness therapy promotes a better understanding of oneself and those factors that lead to anxious feelings, stress, and other negative emotions. It helps nurses cope with various psychological issues, including increased perfectionism. In turn, eliminating intrusive thoughts enhances the nurse’s efficiency and readiness for hard work and adequate communication with clients. It should be noted that these factors are essential for positive patient outcomes and the operation of the healthcare system as a whole.
Historical Roots and Modern Applications of Mindfulness Techniques
Mindfulness treatment is a groundbreaking method in cognitive behavioral therapy. Even though the scientific community’s interest appeared not so long ago, mindfulness techniques are ancient practices that have been around for thousands of years. The studies included in this meta-analysis included 919 nursing students, and all studies used mindfulness techniques as the primary intervention (Chen et al., 2021). The researchers looked at ten randomized controlled studies to see if mindfulness interventions affected levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and mindfulness in nursing students (Chen et al., 2021).
Mindfulness techniques can help nursing students cope with stress and anxiety, improve mental health, and deal with perfectionism. Modern researchers have used some of the most effective components of deliberate practice to treat psycho-emotional disorders. These include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and chronic pain.
Mindfulness Meditation: Effectiveness and Limitations
The following review explores the effectiveness of various options for time and mindfulness meditation techniques. Thus, Riet et al. (2018) found that even with a short course of meditation sessions, participants increased their emotional well-being, concentration, self-motivation, and self-reflection. It reduces the tendency to dwell on negative thoughts and promotes coping with perfectionist anxiety.
However, such results were available only to those who initially had enough self-control and motivation not to abandon classes. The authors reviewed ten studies, including both quantitative and qualitative studies, and found that mindfulness meditation is effective (Riet et al., 2018). It helps reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout in nursing students and nurses.
Motivation and Engagement in Mindfulness Practice
It should be noted, however, that the study discovered that the sound effects of mindfulness meditation were only available to individuals with a high enough level of self-control and motivation not to drop out of classes. This shows that to be effective, mindfulness meditation may necessitate a certain level of commitment and self-discipline.
As a result of the study, it was confirmed that as one immerses in the practice, the feeling of pleasure and value of meditations increases, while tension and the feeling of emptiness, on the contrary, decrease. Participants with higher levels of intrinsic motivation, deeply interested in the practices, and aware of the importance of learning showed greater engagement, enjoyment, and meaning (Riet et al., 2018).
On the contrary, participants who were only motivated by external, superficial reasons, such as self-esteem or gaining the approval of others, were less successful. Meditation reduced nurses’ burnout levels, improved self-regulation, tracked emotions, helped them cope with stress skills, and enhanced their quality of life (Riet et al., 2018). Compared to the previous study, which had a broader scope, namely mindfulness interventions in general, this work focused specifically on mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Nursing Students
Over the past decades, there has been a growing interest in world literature studying the concept of mindfulness as a psychological construct. It was also considered a form of psychotherapeutic intervention for the prevention and treatment of chronic depression and stress reduction. The article discusses the features of changes in the behavior of nursing students with emotional burnout or stress, at the correction of which the techniques of cognitive therapy based on awareness were aimed.
As a result, Yüksel and Bahadır (2020) concluded that cognitive group therapy leads to positive outcomes, including increased subjective well-being and decreased cognitive and emotional reactivity. In addition, the study found that the MBCT intervention significantly reduced stress and increased mindfulness in nursing students. It highlights the potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in promoting mental health and well-being among nursing students.
The Role of Mindfulness in Managing Perfectionism and Burnout in Nursing
Mindfulness refers to the ability to voluntarily focus on current events and sensations and switch attention from one aspect to another. At the same time, one can feel the controllability of the concentration process. In a broader context, mindfulness means being nonjudgmental and objective and being aware of one’s life experience (Yüksel & Bahadır, 2020). Because of the demands of the profession, perfectionism is a well-known element in stress and anxiety, which is a typical concern among nursing students.
According to research, nursing students have higher levels of stress and burnout than other healthcare students, and perfectionism can worsen these concerns. Perfectionism can also lead to self-doubt and excessive self-criticism, making it difficult for nursing students to be content with their work or progress. This can lead to negative self-talk, which can worsen stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
To conclude, interventions grounded in mindfulness have the potential to lessen perfectionist tendencies in nursing students. Such a conclusion can be made considering the results of three works selected as a literature review and evidence base. In summary, mindfulness inversions have generally been found to help reduce nurses’ stress and increase focus. It has a positive effect on the individual level and how the healthcare system works as a whole, as nurse performance is an important part.
Further, the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation was confirmed; moreover, even short-term courses of such meditation had a positive aspect. It consisted of reducing nurses’ stress and anxiety, increasing their ability to control emotions, and increasing awareness. More importantly, mindfulness meditation helped nurses combat obsessive thoughts associated with perfectionism.
References
Chen, X., Zhang, B., Jin, S.-X., Quan, Y.-X., Zhang, X.-W., & Cui, X.-S. (2021). The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on nursing students: A meta-analysis. Nurse Education Today, 98. Web.
Riet, P., Levett-Jones, T., & Aquino-Russell, C. (2018). The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for nurses and nursing students: An integrated literature review. Nurse Education Today, 65, 201–211. Web.
Yüksel, A., & Bahadır Yılmaz, E. (2020). The effects of group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in nursing students: A quasi-experimental study. Nurse Education Today, 85. Web.