Evaluation of a Biofeedback-assisted Meditation Program as a Stress Management Tool for Hospital Nurses: A Pilot Study
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Stress
- Sponsor
- Mayo Clinic
- Enrollment
- 11
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Assess the efficacy of a novel meditation program on stress, anxiety and quality of life (QOL) in nurses practicing in the hospital. Compare the level of stress, anxiety and QOL before and after a 4 week training period utilizing Healing Rhythms™.
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 14 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to assess a novel meditation program which is biofeedback reinforced (Healing Rhythms™) as a means to improving stress management in a population of nurses practicing in the hospital setting.
Detailed Description
Stress is a common problem with significant ramifications for health. This is especially true in the workplace and particularly true for nurses practicing in a hospital environment. A number of factors (e.g. an aging population, the obesity epidemic, patients presenting with multi-system diseases, etc.) have dramatically increased the demands on hospital nurses in the past decade. This increased stress has potential ramifications at a personal level (e.g. increased risk of ill health) as well as an institutional (e.g. higher staff turnover). Meditation has been shown to be an effective tool for stress management. A self-directed, computer-guided meditation training program that can be pursued independently may be particularly useful for hospital nurses where scheduling challenges may preclude the use of scheduled classes. Healing Rhythms™ is a computer program that teaches meditation and uses biofeedback (heart rate variability and galvanic skin response) to reinforce the training.
Investigators
Brent A. Bauer
Principal Investigator
Mayo Clinic
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Subjects ≥ 18 years of age
- •Subjects that have given consent to participate
- •Subjects that have access to a home computer
Exclusion Criteria
- •Subjects who are currently engaged in a routine meditative practice
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Assess the efficacy of a novel meditation program on stress, anxiety and quality of life (QOL) in nurses practicing in the hospital. Compare the level of stress, anxiety and QOL before and after a 4 week training period utilizing Healing Rhythms™.
Time Frame: 4 Weeks
Secondary Outcomes
- Evaluate feasibility of integrating a novel meditation program into an overall stress management program for nurses practicing in the hospital. Report overall satisfaction and identify challenges with the experience of the meditation program.(4 Weeks)