Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Nurses In AIDS Care In China: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Chen Pan,1 Honghong Wang,2 Minzhen Chen,3 Yu Cai,1 Changgen Xiao,4 Qiuping Tang,1 Deborah Koniak-Griffin5 1Department of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Fundamental Nursing, Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, People’s Republic of China; 3AIDS Department of the First Hospital of Changsha, Hunan 410005, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Applied Psychology, School of Humanities and Management, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan 410208, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Nursing of University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1702, USACorrespondence: Qiuping TangDepartment of Clinical Psychology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]/purpose: Workplace stress among nurses providing care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus is a serious problem in China that may increase rates of job burnout and affect quality of care. Mindfulness-based intervention has been shown to be effective in relieving stress and burnout in nurses. Therefore, we designed a mixed-method pilot study to evaluate a mindfulness-based intervention for nurses providing care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus.Methods: Twenty nurses caring for people living with human immunodeficiency virus in the First Hospital of Changsha, China participated in a mindfulness-based intervention for 2 hr sessions weekly for 6 weeks. The Perceived Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to collect data before and after the mindfulness-based intervention. Participants were invited to attend an in-depth interview 1 week after the end of the mindfulness-based intervention to give feedback.Results: The quantitative analyses revealed a significant change in Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire scores. There were no significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measures of any other variables. Qualitative results showed nurses experienced a decrease in work and daily life pressures; improvements in communications with patients, colleagues and families, with better regulation of negative emotions, and acceptance of other people and attention.Conclusion: This study supports the acceptability and potential benefits of the mindfulness-based intervention in helping nurses caring for people living with human immunodeficiency virus to manage stress and emotions, and improve their acceptance of others and attention. A larger study with a randomized controlled trial design is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of this mindfulness-based intervention.Keywords: human immunodeficiency virus, stress, emotions, job burnout, mindfulness-based intervention

Keywords

• human immunodeficiency virus
• stress
• emotions
• job burnout
• mindfulness-based intervention