The Impact of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Compassion Fatigue of Nurses Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study.
Fatemeh Asadollah, Lida Nikfarid, Mahdieh Sabery, Maryam Varzeshnejad, Fatemeh Hashemi
Holistic Nursing Practice DOI: 10.1097/hnp.0000000000000590 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cluster-blinded randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 66 |
| Population | Nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) |
| Intervention | Loving-kindness meditation |
| Duration | 1-month online program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Loving-kindness meditation significantly reduces compassion fatigue in NICU nurses after one month. |
Abstract
Compassion fatigue is a common complication in nurses, which can lead to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and a decline in the quality of patient care. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loving-kindness meditation on compassion fatigue of nurses working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This cluster-blinded randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 66 NICU nurses in 2 educational hospitals selected. The intervention group received a 1-month online program for daily training and practice of loving-kindness meditation. The control group received miscellaneous files on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The Nursing Compassion Fatigue Inventory (NCFI) was filled out by the 2 groups, before and after the intervention. The results showed that the mean scores of the NCFI in the intervention group decreased significantly compared with before the intervention (P = .002). In comparison with the control group, there was a significant difference between the mean scores of the 2 groups after the intervention (P = .034). Among nurses working in NICU, loving-kindness meditation significantly reduces compassion fatigue after 1 month. These findings support the use of this intervention for nurses.
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
- Zen Den: A Novel Approach to Promote Well-Being in the Workplace. Journal of Holistic Nursing December 1, 2024
- The Impact of Mindfulness Interventions on the Well-Being of Intensive Care, Emergency Department and Anaesthesia Staff: A Systematic Review. Nursing in Critical Care May 1, 2026
- Impact of heartfulness meditation practice compared to the gratitude practices on wellbeing and work engagement among healthcare professionals: Randomized trial. PLoS One 2024
- Assessing the effect of Loving-Kindness Meditation on pain and social well-being using a randomized controlled trial design. PLoS One September 16, 2026
- Effects of Self-Guided Digital Mindfulness Interventions on the Mental Health of Health Care Workers: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. JMIR mHealth and uHealth August 21, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 22
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- Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. Emotion October 1, 2008
- Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Loving‐Kindness Meditation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study Journal of Traumatic Stress July 25, 2013
- A Wait‐List Randomized Controlled Trial of Loving‐Kindness Meditation Programme for Self‐Criticism Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy March 16, 2014
and 17 more in the library