A prospective, interventional, single-center study to assess the impact of spiritual care practices and counseling on changes in stress levels, anxiety levels along with sleep quality, and cognitive functions among ICU, IMCU, CCU nurses.

Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, experience significant stress due to routine demands and critical incidents, which can exceed their usual coping mechanisms. Recent studies have indicated that their stress levels have increased, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting both their mental as well as physical well-being and patient safety. Prolonged stress can lead to physical and psychological health problems, including high blood pressure, fatigue, and sleep disorders, and is influenced by a combination of individual factors, personal circumstances, and work environment.

The primary objectives of this study are to evaluate the effectiveness of spiritual care practices and counseling in reducing stress and anxiety levels among ICU nurses, assess the impact of these practices on sleep quality, and examine any changes in cognitive functions. The study will include 59 nurses from ICU, IMCU, and CCU settings who are over 18 years old and willing to provide consent.

Monthly counseling sessions (15 minutes per member) will be conducted by a certified psychologist, incorporating techniques such as box breathing, mindfulness meditation, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) stress reduction, and positive self-talk.

Nurses will be evaluated using standardized questionnaires such as the DASS-21 scale for stress, anxiety, and depression, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality, and a Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire. Questionnaires will assess at baseline (Day 0), at  3rd month (pre-intervention), and at 6th month (post-intervention). To ensure participants adherence to study interventions, participants will maintain a diary, which will be reviewed monthly by the study team. The study duration is of one year.