The effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on stress overload, depression, and mindfulness among nurses: A randomized controlled trial.
Aida M Alfurjani, Mohammed Munther Al-Hammouri, Jehad A. Rababah, Hossam Alhawatmeh, Lynne A Hall
Worldviews on evidence-based nursing February 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/wvn.12695 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 195 |
| Population | Nurses in Jordan |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based intervention |
| Duration | 4-week intervention |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based intervention Nurses Stress overload |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | A mindfulness-based intervention significantly decreased stress overload and depression and increased mindfulness among nurses, with greater mindfulness improvement when the intervention was conducted outside the hospital. |
Abstract
Nurses experience various health-related issues due to the nature of their work. This study aimed to examine the effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on stress overload, depression and mindfulness among nurses. A secondary objective was to examine the role of the setting (i.e., in and out of the hospital as a natural setting) on mindfulness-based intervention effectiveness. A randomized controlled trial with three groups' pretest-posttest design was used in this study. A total of 195 nurses were recruited-65 intervention-inside hospital, 60 intervention-outside hospital, and 63 control. The mindfulness-based intervention was delivered by a certified mindfulness practitioner over 4 weeks in Jordan. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire, the Stress Overload Scale Short, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant effect of the intervention on the linear combination of the dependent variables V = 0.44, F[6, 368] = 17.56, p < .001. Follow-up analyses showed that a mindfulness-based intervention significantly decreased stress overload, depression, and increased mindfulness levels among nurses in intervention groups compared with the control group. In addition, conducting a mindfulness-based intervention outside the hospital has a better effect on mindfulness levels than the inside hospital. The effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on stress overload, depression, and mindfulness should be considered when planning for nurses' well-being and the quality of care provided. Nurse managers are encouraged to use the study's findings to promote nurses' well-being.