Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a psychological strategy for mitigating emotional exhaustion among critical care nurses.

Background: Emotional exhaustion is a key factor undermining the quality of patient care in critical care environments. It is associated with reduced clinical performance, increased medical errors, and inconsistent adherence to safety measures, all increasing the risk of adverse outcomes for patients. Addressing emotional exhaustion by healthcare providers is, therefore, deemed essential for enhancing patient safety and improving the overall quality of care. The present study aims to determine the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on mitigating emotional exhaustion among critical care nurses.

Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted on 90 critical care nurses using a repeated measures approach from June 7, 2024 to November 13, 2024. The study was carried out in Al-Hussein Medical City and Imam Al-Hassan Al-Mujtaba Teaching Hospital in the Holy Karbala. The participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. The data collection instrument was the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. The participants in the intervention group attended an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program. At the end of the eight-week program, all participants in both the intervention and control groups completed the post-test.

Results: The findings showed higher percentages of emotional exhaustion (69.7%) with a mean score of 31.2 ± 10.7 in the experimental group. Following the intervention, it reduced significantly, with the mean score decreasing to 19.8 ± 6.59. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Following the intervention, the level of emotional exhaustion reduced significantly, with the mean score decreasing to 19.8 ± 6.59. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). This reduction corresponds to a 36.5% decrease in emotional exhaustion, compared to an 8.5% reduction in the control group. These results suggest that the intervention may contribute to enhanced cognitive functioning, reduced burnout, and improved patient care outcomes.

Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of emotional exhaustion, particularly among younger and less experienced nurses. The use of MBCT resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in emotional exhaustion.