Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of the “Naru” Program, a Reiki-Informed Meditative Intervention for First-Year Nursing Students: A Single-Group Pilot Study

Abstract

" Program, a Reiki-informed meditative intervention for first-year nursing students, and to estimate pre-post change in distress and well-being.DesignSingle-group pretest-posttest pilot feasibility study.MethodsInformed by Transitions Theory and holistic nursing, a seven-session hybrid program combined the spiritual precepts of Reiki with Joshin Kokyu Ho breathing meditation and guided imagery; five mental health nurses appraised its content. Of 413 students invited, 61 were screened, 29 eligible, 22 started, and 12 completed. Feasibility outcomes were uptake, retention, adherence, and acceptability; distress and well-being were assessed with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - 21 and the Psychological Well-Being Manifestation Measure Scale, with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.FindingsThe program was delivered as designed and well received: participants reproduced the meditation independently, some during clinical placements. Uptake was 14.8% and retention 54.5%; attrition concentrated at year-end. Distress decreased and well-being increased on all retained subscales, with large effect sizes and bootstrap intervals excluding zero for all but one measure; reliable improvement was most frequent in well-being and happiness.ConclusionsDelivery and acceptability were established; recruitment and retention were not, and require changes to timing and recruitment before a controlled trial. Efficacy cannot be inferred.