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Mindfulness Matters: Enhancing Mental Health and Reducing Stress in Nursing Students.

Christine H Kaford, Stephanie Vaughn, Deanna Jung, Justine Gonzalez, Portia A Jackson Preston

Nursing Education Perspectives September 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1097/01.nep.0000000000001601 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Population Undergraduate nursing students in a critical care course
Intervention Mindfulness practices
Duration 15 weeks
Topics Meditation
Keywords Nursing education Stress management Mindfulness-based interventions Student well-being Reflective practices
Key findings Students reported high stress and poor mental health at the start of the course, followed by gradual development of coping strategies and a shift in tone and mindset. Three themes emerged from the reflections: goal setting, coping, and mindfulness. The authors argue that mindfulness practices fostered resilience and well-being and hold value as an educational strategy for preparing nurses for high-stress clinical environments.

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored undergraduate nursing students' experiences in a critical care course, focusing on mindfulness and stress management. Reflections over 15 weeks were analyzed using the Sort and Sift, Think and Shift method. Findings revealed initial high stress and poor mental health, followed by gradual development of coping strategies. Students demonstrated a shift in tone and mindset, gaining deeper insights as they processed emotions. Three themes emerged: goal setting, coping, and mindfulness. Mindfulness practices fostered resilience and well-being, highlighting their value as an educational strategy to prepare nurses for high-stress clinical environments.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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Meditation Philosophy of mind