An on-the-job mindfulness-based intervention for pediatric ICU nurses: a pilot.
Tina Gauthier, Rika M L Meyer, Dagmar Grefe, Jeffrey I Gold
Journal of pediatric nursing October 20, 2014 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedn.2014.10.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 38 |
| Population | Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Dose | 5-minute mindfulness meditation before each work shift |
| Duration | Baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up |
| Measures | Nursing Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Self-Compassion Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Pilot projects Stress, psychological Job satisfaction Burnout, professional Pediatric nursing Adult Middle aged Child Female Critical care nursing Surveys and questionnaires Intervention Nurses |
| Key points | A 5-minute pre-shift mindfulness meditation was feasible for PICU nurses, and stress decreased significantly from baseline to post-intervention and remained lower one month later. The authors suggest the findings may inform future self-care and stress-reduction interventions in critical care. |
Abstract
The feasibility of a 5-minute mindfulness meditation for PICU nurses before each work-shift to investigate change in nursing stress, burnout, self-compassion, mindfulness, and job satisfaction was explored. Thirty-eight nurses completed measures (Nursing Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale and Self-Compassion Scale) at baseline, post-intervention and 1 month after. The intervention was found to be feasible for nurses on the PICU. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant decreases in stress from baseline to post intervention and maintained 1 month following the intervention. Findings may inform future interventions that support on-the-job self-care and stress-reduction within a critical care setting.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- The impact of mindfulness on well-being and performance in the workplace: an inclusive systematic review of the empirical literature European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology April 19, 2017
- Mindful Self-Care and Resiliency (MSCR): protocol for a pilot trial of a brief mindfulness intervention to promote occupational resilience in rural general practitioners BMJ Open June 1, 2018
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on psychosocial well-being and occupational-related outcomes among nurses in the intensive care unit: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses July 1, 2025
- The Impact of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Job-Related Burnout of Nurses Working in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study. Holistic Nursing Practice
- 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
and 21 more in the library
Cites 8
- The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Holistic Nursing Practice November 1, 2004
- The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout, Part II Holistic Nursing Practice 2005
- Nurse Leader Mindfulness Meditation Program for Stress Management JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration March 1, 2009
- Nurses' experiences, expectations, and preferences for mind-body practices to reduce stress. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine April 11, 2011
- A brief mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention for nurses and nurse aides. Applied nursing research : ANR May 2006
and 3 more in the library