The Effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program on Psychiatric Nurses' Job Stress and Burnout

Abstract

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a wellness program intended to improve positive coping mechanisms and decrease the perception of stress and burnout of psychiatric nurses in addition enhance superiority of care and excellence of lifecycle for patients in locked units. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program on psychiatric nurses' job stress and burnout. Design: A quasi-experimental research design will be utilized in the study. Setting this study was carried out at Al-Abbassia hospital for mental health and addiction including inpatient units. Subjects: A convenient sample of 30 psychiatric nurses. The study tools were: 1) Sociodemographic sheet, 2) Psychiatric Nurses Job Stress Scale, 3) Maslach Burnout Inventory and 4) Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. The results: the study showed that there was a statistically significant difference between pre and post the program implementation regarding job stress, burnout and mindful attention awareness while, there was no statistically significant difference between post and follow up the Program. There was a statistically significant correlation between psychiatric nurses' job stress, burnout and mindful attention awareness pre, post & follow up the program implementation in addition there was a statistically significant relations between psychiatric nurses' job stress, burnout and mindful attention awareness with their socio-demographic characteristics pre and post the program implementation while, there was no statistically significant relations between psychiatric nurses' job stress and burnout with their socio-demographic characteristics during follow up the program. Conclusions: the main results showed that, psychiatric nurses' job stress, burnout and mindful attention awareness had dramatically improved after the program implementation while their level of job stress, burnout and mindful attention awareness had no improvement after the program follow up. Recommendations: MBSR should be implemented into continuous professional developmental programs at hospitals to decrease the stress, improve positive coping mechanisms of the nursing staff and maintain the compliance with the mindfulness practices through the daily life activities.