Purpose: This critical literature review explored the current state of the science regarding mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a potential intervention to improve the ability of nurses to effectively cope with stress.
Methods: Literature sources include searches from EBSCOhost, Gale PowerSearch, ProQuest, PubMed Medline, Google Scholar, Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, and reference lists from relevant articles.
Findings: Empirical evidence regarding utilizing MBSR with nurses and other healthcare professionals suggests several positive benefits including decreased stress, burnout, and anxiety; and increased empathy, focus, and mood.
Conclusions: Nurse use of MBSR may be a key intervention to help improve nurses' ability to cope with stress and ultimately improve the quality of patient care provided.
Keywords: Mindfulness-based stress reduction; nurse; stress.
© 2014 NANDA International, Inc.