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) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractCompassion fatigue, a common problem among nurses, can lead to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and reduced quality of patient care. A cluster-blinded randomized clinical trial with 66 NICU nurses tested whether a one-month online loving-kindness meditation program could reduce compassion fatigue. The intervention group practiced daily meditation, while the control group received general mental health materials. Compassion fatigue scores, measured by the Nursing Compassion Fatigue Inventory, decreased significantly more in the meditation group than in the control group. The findings indicate that loving-kindness meditation is an effective intervention for reducing compassion fatigue in NICU nurses.
Study at a glance
| 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 |
| Key finding | 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.