Clinical Nurse Well-being Improved Through Transcendental Meditation: A Multimethod Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jennifer I Bonamer, Mary Kutash, Susan R Hartranft, Catherine Aquino-Russell, Andrew Bugajski, Ayesha Johnson
JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration 2024 DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001372 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 104 |
| Population | Clinical nurses from 3 Magnet-designated hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Intervention | Transcendental Meditation |
| Duration | 3 months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation reduced posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and burnout and improved flourishing among clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Abstract
To evaluate the impact of Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) practice on the multidimensional well-being of nurse clinicians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The health of clinical nurses has substantial impact on both the availability of a nursing workforce and the quality and safety of patient care. TM improved health and coping strategies across many populations. Clinical nurses were recruited from 3 Magnet®-designated hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Well-being outcomes included flourishing, burnout, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Participants were randomized following completion of baseline surveys into immediate (intervention) or delayed (control) TM instruction. Surveys were repeated at 1 and 3 months following baseline survey or TM instruction. Repeated-measures analysis of variance compared differences in groups over time. Across the 3 sites, there were 104 clinical nurse participants. Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant medium to large effects in improvement over time in well-being measures for the intervention group. TM improved multidimensional well-being of clinical nurses by reducing posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and burnout and improving flourishing. TM is easy to practice anywhere. The benefits are immediate and cumulative. Organizations and individual nurses can use TM to support clinical nurses in the difficult and meaningful work of patient care, especially in challenging times. Future studies may consider the feasibility of integrating TM into clinical shifts and evaluating its impact on patient and organizational outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Effectiveness of Meditation Techniques in Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) December 12, 2024
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Transcendental Meditation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) April 3, 2025
- Transcendental Meditation Enriches Nurses' Authentic Presence Through Caring for Self and Others. Journal of Holistic Nursing December 1, 2024
- Effects of transcendental meditation on mental health and work productivity among university staff in Australia: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders September 23, 2026
- Evaluating the Impact of Transcendental Meditation on Trauma Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Problems Among Israeli Civilians Post-October 7, 2023: A Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Psychology June 29, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 7
- Effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on Trait Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 9, 2013
- Field-Effects of Consciousness: A Seventeen-Year Study of the Effects of Group Practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs on Reducing National Stress in the United States World Journal of Social Science December 20, 2022
- Efficacy of Transcendental Meditation to Reduce Stress Among Health Care Workers: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open September 1, 2022
- Heal the Healers: A pilot study evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and exploratory efficacy of a Transcendental Meditation intervention for emergency clinicians during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open December 1, 2021
- Self-Care Strategies for Professional Development: Transcendental Meditation Reduces Compassion Fatigue and Improves Resilience for Nurses. Journal for nurses in professional development 2019
and 2 more in the library