Providing health care services for patients with high mortality rates is a challenging task, which becomes particularly stressful during pandemics. Nurses constitute the largest professional group in the health care system, but they are also subject to increased stress levels due to the nature of their work. A mindfulness mediation program for nurses working with high morbidity patient groups is the focus of the research. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of the discussed technique on nursing within twelve weeks.
In the course of practicum research, a program was proposed, which included daily forty-five-minute mindfulness meditation sessions for twelve weeks. The aim was to determine whether such a technique could alleviate work-related stress in the case of nursing. According to Barbe et al. (2017), stress, among other factors, negatively affects the nurses’ work process, which is why reducing should be a high priority for the health care system. Accordingly, nurses experiencing such issues may demonstrate poorer results in terms of nursing outcomes. The participants of the present study used the proposed meditation technique and reported a moderate decrease in overall stress levels. As a result, an improvement was observed, as far as their workplace satisfaction is concerned. Consequently, stress reduction positively affected the implementation of patient-centered care methods. The practicum site saw an increase in positive feedback from patients, as well. During the final weeks of the study, there was a significantly better level of communication between nurses and their patients, leading to better health care outcomes.
Overall, the practicum study returned promising results, as the mindfulness mediation program proved to be effective in the setting. However, the degree to which it reduced stress levels was moderate, and results varied among participants. Nevertheless, positive outcomes were observed, confirming that such techniques have much potential for the improvement of the workplace environment. However, further research is required to provide a comprehensive paradigm of mindfulness mediation use in the clinical setting.
Reference
Barbe, T., Kimble, L. P., & Rubenstein, C. (2017). Subjective cognitive complaints, psychosocial factors and nursing work function in nurses providing direct patient care.Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(4), 914–925. Web.