The Role of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Alleviating Depression, Enhancing Coping Skills, and Promoting Workplace Satisfaction and Well-Being Among Nurses: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

Background: Stress is rampant in nursing because of the demanding nature of the profession. For many nurses, their work environments are highly stressful with long working hours and a lot of emotional demands predisposing them to the risk of mental health problems, burnout, psychological distress, and reduced job satisfaction. For many nurses, coping with such stressful environments can be challenging. This is why incorporating effective strategies such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is important. MBSR is program that can help nurses to cultivate mindfulness practices which are instrumental in helping them to deal with stress, depression, and other mental health problems. MBSR can also improve nurses coping skills, foster wellness, and improve their overall well-being.

Objective: To explore the studies that used Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions for alleviating depression, enhancing coping skills, and promoting workplace satisfaction and well-being among nurses.

Methods: The search was done on databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library databases, Science Direct, and EBSCO host for relevant studies that were published between 2009 and 2024 was done. Interventional studies that were published in English that used MBSR among nurses to reduce stress, depression and psychological distress were selected for this review. The PRISMA guideline was used to guide the review. Quality of the included studies was assessed using “The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies (QATFQS).” RESULTS A total of 16 studies were included in this review. This review established that MBSR was instrumental in alleviating depression, enhancing coping skills, and promoting workplace satisfaction, and well-being among nurses.

Conclusions: The review was mainly informed by empirical evidence which showed that nurses who participate in MBSR interventions have reduced levels of stress and depression, better coping skills, enhanced work satisfaction, and enhanced well-being. The results of this review are instrumental in supporting the use of MBSR to alleviate stress and depression among nurses and improve their overall well-being. The methodological limitations of the reviewed studies are provided and suggestions for future research provided. CLINICALTRIAL CRD42024612849