Long-term effects of a tailored mindfulness-based program for Chinese intensive care unit nurses: A randomized parallel-group trial

Abstract

AimThis study investigated the direct and long-term improvements that mindfulness-based interventions exert on intensive care unit nurses. We assessed an abbreviated four-week, twice-weekly mindfulness-based intervention program’s effect on work-related mental health variables and examined whether the intervention impact was maintained at two- and six-month follow-up assessments. We also examined the training program’s effects on work and life. BackgroundPrevious research has shown that mindfulness interventions exert positive effects immediately after treatment. However, few studies have examined whether treatment effects are maintained over time or under different circumstances. Moreover, treatment effects among Chinese intensive care unit nurses have rarely been examined. DesignWe conducted a randomized, non-blinded, parallel-group trial. MethodsParticipants included 90 intensive care unit nurses, divided into two cohorts, who participated in the program in October 2016 and April 2017. They completed validated measures of mindfulness, burnout syndromes, anxiety and depressive symptoms and well-being at baseline (T1), immediately after intervention (T2), two months after (T3) and six months after (T4) the intervention. ResultsWe observed a significant group effect (1) immediately post-intervention and two months after intervention for mindfulness; (2) at two months after intervention for anxiety, depression and subjective well-being and (3) at post-intervention, two months after and six months after for emotional exhaustion. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the tailored four-week mindfulness-based intervention program improved intensive care unit nurses’ mental health, although further research is needed to verify its feasibility in a clinical working environment.