Nursing is an immensely rewarding career, yet the constant stress and physical strain can take a toll. Plus, academic studies can compound stress levels for registered nurses (RNs) who are earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree while working.
The flexibility of convenient options, like the online RN to BSN program from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), can relieve pressure and stress. Yet managing work and a typical course load can still challenge one’s time management skills and overall well-being. For some, meditation may be the answer to lowering stress levels and finding a better mental and emotional balance.
How Is Meditation Beneficial?
There are myriad types of meditation derived from numerous traditions. One popular form of meditation is Transcendental Meditation (TM). TM is a technique for relaxing while eliminating distracting or negative thoughts. According to a WebMD article on TM, this type of meditation developed from Hindu practices and incorporates mindfulness meditation associated with Buddhism. TM involves sitting in a comfortable position while silently repeating the same phrase or mantra.
People use meditation to address several health issues that may affect nurses. For instance, practitioners often use meditation to eliminate or minimize the effects of stress and anxiety on the body. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a National Institutes of Health center, numerous studies correlate meditation practices with positive outcomes in terms of reducing symptoms or severity of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, insomnia and pain management.
However, many studies also showed mixed results or were deemed “preliminary or not scientifically rigorous.” NCCIH notes that the effects of meditation and mindfulness are “hard to measure,” especially in ways that can be analyzed without bias.
Perhaps one of the best ways to judge the merits of meditation is to investigate how popular the practice is. NCCIH reports that meditation is currently the most popular “complementary health” approach in the U.S., employed by more people than practices like yoga, chiropractic care, massage and acupuncture. Whether or not the positive effects of meditation are easily quantifiable, estimates suggest that hundreds of millions of people globally practice meditation. Clearly, a broad spectrum of people believes in the benefits of the practice.
Should Nurses Meditate?
Proponents of meditation frequently say that anyone will find the mind-body practice beneficial. For nurses, meditation may make a substantial difference in finding a healthy outlet for work-related stress and depression.
Nurses may experience a range of emotions during any given shift. Empathy for sick and injured patients is certainly a positive attribute of a nurse. However, it can also weigh heavily on one’s mind and body long after clocking out. Nurses may find meditation helpful in working through these feelings, especially considering research shows nurses are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety when compared to the general public.
Nurses may experience physical or mental health issues as a result of work-related stress, as well as the challenges of all-too-common burnout in healthcare professions. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated stress, harassment and burnout for healthcare workers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), twice as many health workers reported being harassed in 2022 than in 2018 and 46% reported feeling burnt out, leading 44% to consider seeking new jobs. With such a large percentage of healthcare workers reporting such challenges, meditation may provide the opportunity to regain a healthier outlook on work responsibilities.
Establishing a Meditation Schedule
Nurses typically engage in shift work, which means long hours, alternating schedules and often overnights. With those hours, finding a time or quiet place for beneficial health practices like meditation can be difficult. This can be even more challenging for nursing students who are working full-time and may have to fit studies into the free time they could otherwise use for self-care practices.
Because of this, healthcare employers are strengthening and diversifying wellness programs for employees, encouraging and providing opportunities for workers to take time for their physical and mental health. For example, some healthcare facilities incorporate labyrinths into their campus layouts. Designed for use by both employees and patients, the labyrinths are a non-traditional approach to easing anxiety. Walking a labyrinth may result in a meditative state by encouraging solitude and a chance to reflect on your emotions.
There are numerous accessible meditation or meditation-adjacent techniques, with guided imagery and deep breathing being popular methods. While it may be easier to find solace at home, nurses can employ these tactics virtually anywhere, especially with the proliferation of smartphone meditation apps. At work, an unused patient room or the hospital’s chapel may provide a suitable setting — even sitting in your car, in the restroom or at the nurse’s station can provide an opportunity for meditation.
Setting a meditation schedule can be helpful and lead to more frequent participation. For example, a nurse may plan to do two minutes of guided imagery while showering and one minute of deep breathing each time they log information into the computer or walk to the restroom. Outside of that schedule, nurses can consider implementing their favorite meditation technique when stress levels rise.
Why Meditation Is Worth a Try for Nurses
Meditation can help nurses handle day-to-day workplace stress in a safe and positive fashion, improving physical and mental health. With benefits also related to insomnia, pain, anxiety and depression, this free and simple mind-body technique has much to offer today’s nurses and students earning a career-advancing BSN degree.
Learn more about UTA’s online RN to BSN program.
