Mindfulness-Based Intervention for the Reduction of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Nurse Caregivers of Institutionalized Older Persons with Dementia

A Randomized Controlled Trial

Bibliographic Data

ID15486972
AuthorsVictòria Aurora Ferrer Pérez (0000-0002-9530-7878), Ernesto J Menéndez-Crispín, Carmen Sarabia‐Cobo (0000-0002-7929-4042, Universidad de Cantabria, corresponding author), Pablo de Lorena, Ángela Fernández‐Rodríguez (0000-0002-7561-6913, Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla), Julia González-Vaca (0000-0001-8698-5338, Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue18
Pages11441-11441
Publication date2022-09-11
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph191811441
PMID36141714
OpenAlexW4296280357
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited13

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the mental health of nurses caring for institutionalized older people. Caring in this environment can be complex, with higher levels of burnout and compassion fatigue in staff. It is therefore important to find interventions to increase the well-being of staff. Mindfulness training is known to be effective in treating a variety of physical and mental health conditions. This study sought to conduct a direct evaluation of the effectiveness of a combined online training in two types of mindfulness-based therapies for the reduction of compassion fatigue and burnout in geriatric nurses caring for institutionalized elderly people with dementia. In a randomized controlled trial ( n = 39 experimental group, n = 35 control group), we explored whether individuals with high levels of burnout and compassion fatigue would benefit more from an online mindfulness training program. The outcome variable was the ProQoL professional quality of life scale, which was collected at baseline, at six weeks, and at three months after completion of the intervention. Significant differences were found between both groups for the subscales Compassion Fatigue and Burnout ( p p = 0.003) and burnout (F1,28 = 7.25, p = 0.040). However, there were no differences between groups for the satisfaction subscale. The effect of time and the effects of comparing the two groups after controlling for time were statistically significant for all three subscales of the questionnaire (all p values 2 change 0.10-0.47). These data indicate that the experimental condition was more effective, explaining between 10 and 18% more of the variance. A short, online intervention based on mindfulness training appears to be effective for reducing compassion fatigue and burnout in geriatric nurses, with sustained effects over time

Burnout · Compassion · Compassion fatigue · Dementia · Disease · Intervention (counseling · Mindfulness · Mindfulness-based stress reduction · Randomized controlled trial · Clinical Psychology · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Nursing · Psychology

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