It’s no secret the United States is suffering from a healthcare workforce shortage. News of hospital department and facility closings, a lack of nurse educators, nurse retirement, and nurse burnout have all dominated the headlines. Approximately 100,000 nurses left during the COVID-19 pandemic, and The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) projects over 600,000 more RNs “intend to leave” the workforce by 2027.
Transcendental Meditation
Despite these worrisome numbers, new research shows transcendental meditation (TM) is an effective tool for alleviating burnout. The study published in The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN) found that after just one month, healthcare clinicians who practiced TM twice a day experienced an improvement in their levels of emotional exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and mental well-being. After three months, their improvements were maintained with additional improvement in personal accomplishment. “This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge supporting TM as an effective practice to reduce burnout and improve well-being,” wrote the study’s authors.
Transcendental meditation is defined as a meditation technique in which the individual mentally repeats a word or phrase until they have reached a state of inner peace. Unlike other types of meditation, TM does not require concentration or contemplation. More than 380 published research studies have documented the wide-ranging benefits of TM and its ability to help reduce stress and anxiety and improve heart health and cognitive function.
For their study, researchers used 23 registered nurses, five respiratory therapists, and four advanced practice providers. Thirty were female, and two were male, with a median age of 43.7. All of the participants directly cared for COVID-19 patients.
Healthcare Worker Toolbox
TM is not a substitute for an adequate healthcare workforce or systematic changes needed at a particular facility. Still, the study shows that TM has definite value in the healthcare workplace. “Instruction in TM early in one’s professional career should be considered. The TM technique is easy to learn and sustain and should be considered in a clinician’s toolbox of self-help practices,” the study’s authors wrote.
MPX+
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