Mindfulness-based interventions to reduce stress and burnout in nurses : an integrative review

BackgroundWith work-related stress and current COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are at heightened risk of stress and burnout. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been seen to decrease stress and burnout, yet research into the effectiveness for nursing staff is limited. This review adds to the growing body of literature surrounding mindfulness and to explore the benefit it may have for clinical professionals. AimTo review and critically appraise the evidence around the effectiveness of MBIs to help reduce stress and/or burnout in nurses working in acute hospital settings.MethodAn integrative review. Findings Eleven research papers were identified, all of which found a reduction in stress and burnout for nurses working in acute hospital settings. MBIs can be adapted to suit nursing schedules whilst maintaining efficacy, but uncertainties remain around the optimisation of the length and delivery of these for integration into the NHS. ConclusionsThis updated review found that MBIs may be an effective intervention to reduce stress and burnout in nurses working in acute settings. However, further research to establish and test a standardised MBI is required before it could be implemented into the National Health Service (NHS) settings