Nursing Commons^™

Virtual Reality Mindfulness For Nursing Stress And Burnout, Rebecca Jean Cantrell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout has been a term that has been researched since the 1970’s; however, it has been noted that throughout the past few years there has been increased burnout amongst healthcare workers. Mindfulness has been researched as a tool to decrease burnout and stress. The delivery of mindfulness activity has been completed through different avenues such as in-person and virtual. The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality mindfulness experiences and the burnout rates amongst nursing staff in the ambulatory units of a VA Healthcare System. Six nursing staff members volunteered to participate in the …

Relationship Of Stress, Family, And Social Support, And Job Satisfaction To Burnout Among Family Nurse Practitioners Employed In Primary Care Clinics In Mississippi, Laura-Jean Scott Brooks

Dissertations

In the realm of healthcare, burnout is the invisible monster that has infiltrated every facet of the industry with grossly visible results. From provider turnover to patient errors, burnout has lifelong effects on the healthcare provider and patient care. This researcher seeks to study variables and the relationship to burnout among Family Nurse Practitioners who practice in primary care in Mississippi. The Review of the Literature demonstrated a lack of findings in burnout among family nurse practitioners. Most of the literature reviewed focused on burnout among registered nurses. The guiding hypothesis of the research study was that social and family …

Investigating The Effects Of Workload Management Strategies On Nurse Practitioner Burnout And Job Satisfaction, Erica G. Smith

Doctoral Projects

Burnout is a critical issue among psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs), worsened by excessive workloads, productivity demands, and the emotional intensity of patient care (Chi et al., 2024). The negative effects of burnout included diminished job satisfaction, reduced quality of care, and increased turnover (Chi et al., 2024). As the demand for Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) grew, addressing these challenges was essential for maintaining a sustainable workforce and ensuring quality patient care.

This doctoral project aimed to assess the impact of a workload management strategy on reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction among PMHNPs in a hospital …

Impact Of Educational Sessions On Compassion Fatigue Among Home Healthcare Nurses: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Adebimpe Blessing Ogunsefunmi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Nurses are compassionate professionals who provide critical care, often at the expense of their own well-being. As the healthcare system faces rapid changes due to an aging population, nursing shortages, and the impact of COVID-19, compassion fatigue has become increasingly common. Despite its prevalence, few healthcare institutions address this issue. Objective: The objective of this DNP project was to evaluate whether weekly educational sessions enhanced perceptions of a positive quality of life, which typically declines with increased compassion fatigue, as measured by the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) scale. PICOT Question: Do weekly educational sessions on compassion fatigue …

Reframing Burnout: Measuring “Altruistic Execution” To Understand Nurse Burnout, Jacqueline Christianson, Abir K. Bekhet, Jill L. Guttormson, Maharaj Singh, Norah L. Johnson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Many nurses join the profession because they have altruistic intentions, but some nurses experience barriers to acting on altruistic intentions which may be a source of job dissatisfaction or burnout.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate construct validity, internal consistency, and convergence reliability of the Nursing Altruistic Execution Scale (NAES), a novel instrument assessing the perceived ability to help others through work.

Methods:

The NAES was developed based upon a literature review examining altruistic behavior as a motivator for nursing work, with expert feedback for instrument refinement. Participants completed the NAES, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory Work-Related Burnout …

Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Interventions On Nursing Burnout: An Integrative, Lily Myo

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Burnout in the nursing profession is prevalent and can be a significant burden for not only the individual nurse but to patients and the healthcare system at large. Burnout is considered by the World Health Organization as an occupational phenomena specifically resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, and is not related to other life events. Given the need for support among registered nurses in reducing consequences of burnout and the emerging data about mindfulness based practices as a tool to enhance resilience, this integrated review seeks to understand if education on mindfulness based interventions can …

Inevitable Or Preventable? A Pilot Intervention To Reduce Burnout Risk In Acute Care Nurses, Emily R. Kelly

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Purpose: Burnout among healthcare workers is widespread and costly, resulting in calls for action to reduce the experience and impact of this work-related phenomenon. Burnout among nurses has been associated with impaired patient safety, decreased quality of care, lower levels of patient satisfaction, decreased productivity, and higher levels of intent-to-leave the profession. Aim: The aims of this study are to assess whether sleep problems mediate the relationship between recovery and burnout and to examine the feasibility of a pilot intervention to enhance recovery, improve sleep quality, and reduce burnout among inpatient nurses. Method: Eligible participants included registered nurses who worked …

High Nurse To Patient Ratio (Npr) Effect On Nurse Job Dissatisfaction And Burnout, Edirin Mofoye

MSN Capstone Projects

This project explores the critical importance of optimal nurse-to-patient ratios in acute care settings, emphasizing their impact on nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction, and overall patient care quality. Analysis shows the necessity for healthcare institutions to reassess and adjust staffing practices to enhance both employee well-being and patient outcomes (Lasater et al., 2021). Evidence based practice reveals that balanced nurse-to-patient ratios lead to reduced nurse burnout, increased job satisfaction, and improved patient care and satisfaction (White et al., 2019). To achieve these outcomes, I recommend implementing evidence-based staffing models tailored to different units' specific needs, conducting regular employee satisfaction surveys to …

The Price We Pay: An Integrative Review Exploring The Effects Of Wellness Culture On Nurse Burnout Rates, Rebekah Lillian Vance

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this integrative review is to identify cultural factors contributing to nurse burnout and to explore the strategies and effectiveness of wellness culture and cultural changes on nurse burnout rates. Nurse burnout has been attributed to a myriad of factors and has been identified in nursing since the 1970s. While other professions with similar burnout issues have investigated and implemented culture-wide changes to address burnout, nursing has remained stagnant in the field of burnout research, often applying single interventions that fall short of creating significant, lasting change. An integrative review of nursing, peer-reviewed literature was conducted in an …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

Psychometric Properties Of The Positive Thinking Skills Scale Among Undergraduate Nursing Students, Ruth A. Engbers, Abir K. Bekhet, Teresa Jerofke-Owen, Norah L. Johnson, Maharaj Singh

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Increasing the resilience of undergraduate nursing students is essential for the individual student's well-being and the healthcare system dealing with a looming nursing shortage. Undergraduate nursing students have reported that positive thinking and positive reframing are ways of coping with exposure to suffering, but measurement of these skills remains limited in this population. This is the first study to examine the psychometric properties of the Positive Thinking Skills Scale specifically in undergraduate nursing students and in a sample that includes students from both public and private universities. Internal consistency was demonstrated with a Chronbach's alpha of 0.824, convergent validity was …

Enhancing Newer Nicu Nurse Confidence With Resuscitation Through High-Fidelity, In-Situ Crisis Resource Management, Karen Rose

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Neonatal resuscitation is a low-volume, high-risk occurrence. Given the infrequency of resuscitation, newer neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses may have little to no exposure to neonatal resuscitation events. This can lead to a lack of confidence in resuscitation skills, contributing to burnout, poor patient outcomes, and the potential for nursing turnover. This evidence-based practice project, guided by the Iowa Model Revised: Evidence-Based Practice to Promote Excellence in Health Care, focused on enhancing the perceived confidence in neonatal resuscitation skills among newer NICU nurses. To achieve this, multidisciplinary, high-fidelity, in-situ neonatal resuscitation crisis resource management (CRM) simulated events were implemented. …

Determining The Impact Of Mindfulness Activities To Increase Joy In Work And Decrease Burnout: An Integrative Review, Kimberly Gleason Bogart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This integrative review aims to evaluate whether mindfulness effectively increases joy in work and decreases nursing burnout. A lack of joy leads to feelings of burnout and negatively affects nurses and their desire to leave the profession. Nursing is often accompanied by intense emotional and physical demands that can lead to job dissatisfaction, anxiety, and stress. Burnout diminishes the quality of care and negatively impacts nurses’ well-being. This integrative review aims to explore mindfulness interventions to increase joy within nursing and potentially alleviate burnout. Drawing upon existing literature, this paper examines various mindfulness interventions and factors contributing to burnout among …

Restorative Yoga To Increase Mindfulness And Reduce Anxiety And Burnout Of Inpatient Mental Health Workers: A Quality Improvement Project, Rachaele Warden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Background/Significance: Burnout syndrome negatively impacts healthcare systems via quality reduction of patient care and communication, increased medical errors, hospital-acquired infections, staffing shortages, and costly malpractice suits (De Hert, 2020). The characteristic exhaustion, cynicism, job detachment, feelings of inadequacy and incompetence that emerge from burnout further hinder individual mental health and wellbeing.

Purpose: The purpose of the restorative yoga intervention strives to reduce employee anxiety, burnout and enhance mindfulness-based practice strategies within a local inpatient mental health hospital.

Methods: Quality improvement project with evidence-based interventions.

Interventions: The project intends to hold one instructor-guided and one video-guided 25-minute restorative yoga weekly session …

Use Of A Mindfulness-Based Mobile App To Decrease Nurse Burnout, Vivian Ugwu

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of this quality improvement project was to decrease Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) scores by 5% among nurses working in a joint and rehab unit after using the mindfulness-based mobile application Headspace for 2 months.

BACKGROUND Indicators of rising burnout were noted on a 27-bed joint and rehab unit at a general medical and surgical facility in Houston, Texas.

METHODOLOGY The OLBI survey was used to measure burnout risk. The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle was used to plan and identify necessary changes. Champions on each shift led selected brief Headspace app mindfulness-based activities once a shift daily for two months. …

Going, Going, Gone: The Influence Of Job And Home Demands And Resources On Emergency Department Nurse Turnover, Jordan Gail Smith

All Dissertations

Nurse turnover, which challenged healthcare organizations even before the pandemic, reached alarming rates across hospitals worldwide during COVID-19. Due to the unprecedented and stressful nature of the pandemic, recent investigations have focused primarily on exploring job demands and nurse turnover intentions. While job demands are critical to understanding turnover, this narrow scope ignores the possible influence of other factors such as job resources and demands and resources external to the work domain. This study utilized archival qualitative data from a longitudinal survey of Emergency Department clinicians to analyze research questions and hypotheses. The first aim of this study was to …

Primary Care Access In San Luis Obispo County- Primary Care Practitioner’S Perspectives, Jessica Peckham

Doctoral Projects

This study investigates healthcare access and utilization among Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in SLO County, utilizing a mixed-methods approach. Survey responses from PCPs when applied to Levesque’s Theoretical Framework reveal variations in provider approachability and acceptability, alongside significant wait times for both new and established patients, indicating barriers in healthcare reaching. Qualitative interviews further illuminated dimensions of healthcare access, including socioeconomic disparities and provider burnout. These underscore the complexities of ensuring equitable access to primary care services. The relationship between provider and consumer dimensions, such as work-life balance, workload, and the role of advanced practice providers, highlight the intricate dynamics …

Effectiveness Of A Positive Psychotherapy Tool In Reducing Burnout And Increasing Morale Of Night Shift Mental Health Workers On An Acute Pediatric Psychiatric Floor, Esther Gatonye

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This scholarly project's purpose was to enhance the well-being of mental healthcare workers on the night shift in an acute pediatric mental health unit by implementing the Three Good Things (3GT) positive psychotherapy tool. The project intended to address the issue of high burnout rates among healthcare workers and improve employee well-being and patient care.

Background: The project was implemented in a 16-bed Mental Health Unit within a pediatric hospital located in the Austin Metroplex.

Methodology: The project employed a non-randomized pre-, mid, and post-design and utilized surveys to evaluate burnout, well-being, and coping skills. Burnout was measured using …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To Prevent Nurse Burnout In Sub-Saharan Africa, Anna C. Johnson

MSN Capstone Projects

Overall, burnout prevention has been shown to foster nurse resilience, ability to cope with stressors, teamwork, and improving the personal value of “doing good” and “being good”; the effects have been shown to last between 6 months and one year. The current evidence is strong enough to recommend a change to current nursing practice via annual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) trainings to strengthen nurse resilience.

This researcher proposes to implement a CBT-based burnout prevention program in Ghana’s capital of Accra in sub-Saharan West Africa. There is ample evidence that African nurses face many of the same burnout issues that nurses …

A Conceptual Model Of Organizational Compassion In Healthcare, Rachel Thienprayoon, Eli Awtrey, Teresa Pestian, Beth A. Lown, Naomi Winick, Jason Kanov

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: In healthcare, while the suffering of patients is often evident, the suffering of clinicians receives less focus. Some sources of clinician distress are directly related to constant exposure to patient suffering, but others are caused by the health care system, and thus potentially preventable. Looking at clinician suffering through the lens of compassion fosters a new paradigm of individual, team, and organizational capabilities, and moves the responsibility to alleviate this suffering from the individual onto the organization and team. Yet research into the impact of organizational compassion in healthcare has been extremely limited.

Approach: Our conceptual model of organizational …

A Pilot Project To Improve The Well-Being Of Inpatient Nurse Managers At An Academic Medical Center Through A Mindfulness-Based Intervention, Nancy Wiederhold

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose: To decrease inpatient nurse managers' burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue through attendance at a mindful, self-compassion intensive program.

Background/Significance: Nurse leaders and managers are indispensable pillars of the healthcare team, carrying the responsibility of shaping organizational success and ensuring quality patient care. Unfortunately, the current landscape of nursing leadership is clouded by sentiments of powerlessness, hopelessness, and guilt.

Description: Recognizing the practical challenges faced by nurse managers, a targeted intervention was implemented – a four-week, in-person mindfulness-based, self-compassion program. This initiative aimed to equip them with the tools to mitigate stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Led by a trained …

Coping Strategies And Stress Of The Undergraduate Nursing Student In The Clinical Setting: An Evidence Based Practice Quantitative Study, Ashley Calverley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The assessment of perceived stress and coping behaviors related to first-semester clinical might benefit students in nursing education. The assessment of most common coping behaviors and perceived stress related to the clinical setting is essential due to difference in personalities, learning abilities, and coping behaviors among nursing students today. Previous research has suggested the initial clinical period results in adverse outcomes, such as poor academic performance, elevated burnout levels, and diminished personal well-being. These factors are detrimental to academic success in nursing programs. Evidence supports that helping students develop positive stress/coping abilities will aid in adapting in both the academic …

Life After The Pandemic: Use Of An Educational Coping Strategy Tool Kit For Healthcare Professionals, Christine Thorpe-Gilpin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has proven that acute care healthcare professionals (i.e., nurses, certified nursing assistants, and respiratory therapists have been experiencing ongoing challenges and ineffective coping mechanisms. The Toolkit for Emotional Coping for Healthcare Staff (TECHS) educational toolkit has introduced practical coping skills that could benefit healthcare workers. Using the TECHS has effectively inspired the development and usage of practical coping skills among healthcare workers. There were three tools included in the TECHS educational material to understand and manage adversity, which can be repeated for new or recurring stressful situations in a personal or team-based approach. These tools were based on cognitive-behavioral …

Exploring The Relationship Between Staffing And Long-Term Care Worker Mental Health, Matthew R. Trombley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research delves into the relationship between staffing levels during a crisis in the healthcare workforce and the mental well-being of long-term care workers, with a specific focus on variables such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction. With increasing workforce shortages, the attention to providing quality care during this tumultuous period has become increasingly urgent. There has been scarce empirical research that has explicitly sought to comprehend the connection between staffing levels and the mental health of long-term care professionals. This study was designed as a non-experimental, quantitative correlational investigation, aiming to understand the intricate dynamics between patient-to-staff ratios …

Burnout Triggers In The Novice Registered Nurse, Sharon K. Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nurse burnout has been strongly associated with decreased patient satisfaction and reduced retention rates in the novice registered nurse. This phenomenon is exacerbating the already rising global nursing shortage. A strong correlation is established between novice registered nurses who endure repeated or multiple triggers, such as unsafe staffing ratios, inadequate preceptorship, and ineffective leadership to those who succumb to burnout. Burnout is a significant problem in the United States, impacting how healthcare is perceived by the public. In 2019 there were more than six million nurses, making up the largest segment of the healthcare population and directly affecting the safety …

Mentorships For New Graduate Nurses, Taylor Leigh Bailey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

New graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) represent a crucial segment of the nursing workforce, embodying the future of the profession. Thus, it is imperative that we utilize our resources, knowledge, and experiences to continuously strengthen and grow this generation of nurses. Mentorship is one key method that can be used to support NGRNs. This DNP project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mentorship for NGRNs within their first year of nursing practice and was implemented within an existing residency program at a Level I trauma facility. Experienced nurse volunteers received mentor education, and 40 NGRNs were individually paired with these volunteer …

The Impact Of Workplace Stressors On Anxiety Levels And Mental Health Among Pediatric Intensive Care Nurses, Kelsey Ericah Ang

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) nurses work in a high-stress environment where they are exposed daily to traumatic situations. The demanding emotional and physical challenges contribute to significant psychological burdens, including increased stress and anxiety. Purpose: The current paper proposes a research design to examine the outcomes of stress, anxiety levels, and mental well-being on PICU nurses when workplace support and structured debriefing sessions take place following a traumatic event. Methods: Participants will be recruited from PICU hospitals in Northern California. Participation will be voluntary, and informed consent will be obtained prior to the study. The selection criteria will …

Evaluating The Mental Health Of Newly Graduated Nurses In Transition From Undergraduate Training To Professional Practice, Victor Louis C. Alinas Iv

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: There is an increasing demand for nurses worldwide as healthcare systems slowly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, there is a high turnover of registered nurses and an even higher turnover in the demographic of newly graduated nurses. Newly graduated nurses (NGNs) are constantly faced with high levels of stress upon starting out in the professional environment and as a result of mental burnout and inadequate preparation, there is a notably high turnover of newly graduated nurses within their first year of employment. Purpose: This research aims to use existing information on the transition from undergraduate training to professional …

Reducing Levels Of Compassion Fatigue Among Generation Z Hospital Nurses, Kailani Yee

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Although qualities such as empathy and compassion are commonly regarded as essential traits in a caregiver, continuous exposure to the hardships and suffering of others creates a risk of developing compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue (CF) is the emotional, physical, and mental toll that builds up over time in individuals in caregiver roles. It develops from the prolonged expression of compassion and empathy while caring for individuals experiencing death, trauma, suffering, or grief (Delaney, 2018).

Nurses are among the populations most impacted by CF as they are typically at the forefront of patient-care, bearing responsibility for the physical, psychosocial, and emotional …

Decreasing Compassion Fatigue In Inpatient Nurses Using Debriefing And Group Care Program, Hanh Nguyen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The quality improvement project's purpose was to use a group care program to decrease compassion fatigue (work-related stress) in nurses. The project aimed to reduce compassion fatigue in nurses by 25% and nurse turnover rates by 10% post-intervention.

Background: The project was implemented on two inpatient units in Texas. Decrease in compassion fatigue can help improve nurse well-being and nurse retention, promoting safe quality nursing care.

Methodology: The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) survey measured compassion satisfaction and burnout pre-intervention. Twelve weekly program sessions were completed using strategies: debriefing, breathing exercise, and muscle relaxation. A …