Date Available

12-1-2025

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

DNP Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

College

Nursing

Department/School/Program

Nursing

Faculty

Dr. Karen Butler

Committee Member

Dr. Karen Stefaniak

Faculty

Dr. Matthew Proud

Abstract

Abstract

Background. The health and wellbeing of nurses are affected by the demands of their workplace and the people that they care for. In turn, nurses’ wellbeing affects their work and patient outcomes. There are opportunities to address certain workplace structures, systems, and policies that create stressors and lead to burnout, fatigue, and poor mental and physical health. For nurses to continue to provide quality care in environments that have increasing demands, they must first feel healthy, well, and supported themselves. Healthcare leaders have a role in ensuring the wellbeing of their nursing staff. Compassion fatigue is a large focus when looking at nurse wellbeing. Nurses caring for patients diagnosed with an eating disorder may be at a greater risk for developing compassion fatigue due to the exposure to the patients’ chronic complications. There are promising outcomes when using mobile technologies that support mindfulness and other wellbeing techniques.

Purpose. This DNP project aims to evaluate the effect of a mindfulness app on nurses caring for patients with a diagnosis of disordered eating.

Methods. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental study was used for this DNP project. The pretest and posttest consisted of a 15-item scale from the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and a 30-item scale from the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). Paired sample t-tests were used to extrapolate findings into statistical data.

Results. A total of 11 nurses completed the pretest and 14 completed the posttest. Following the “Calm” app intervention, participants demonstrated significant improvements in professional quality of life. Compassion satisfaction increased from 34.00 (SD = 3.44) to 41.31 (SD = 4.96; p < .001), while burnout decreased from 28.55 (SD = 2.26) to 24.50 (SD = 3.34; p = .003), and secondary traumatic stress decreased from 29.09 (SD = 3.78) to 21.86 (SD = 5.79; p = .001). Mindfulness scores improved significantly (p = .003), indicating increased self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Conclusion. The mindfulness-based “Calm” app intervention improved nurses’ compassion satisfaction while reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress. These findings support the integration of digital mindfulness programs as feasible, evidence-based strategies to enhance nurse wellbeing and professional quality of life. Sustained organizational support for mindfulness interventions may promote workforce resilience, retention, and overall quality of patient care.

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