Effects of the Relaxation Response Nurses

As nurses working a prolonged period with an unpredictable workload, fast pace environment with lack of time to complete the tasks of caring for a patient with multidimensional needs can be overwhelming. Working in fast face environment can reduce the time nurses take breaks for rest or nourishment. I can attest to take. I found myself sometimes, not able to get nourishment or use the bathroom on time but I am learning to remember myself. Working in this environment without addressing the stress that one faces or slowing down and rest, can be an effect of persistent stress which can lead to depression, which may contribute to other unhealthy or non-wellness condition, which eventually leads to compassion fatigue or burnout (Calisi, 2017).

is a chronic affective state comprised of emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness (Calisi, 2017). It is an outcome of chronic depletion of the individual’s coping resources resulting from prolonged exposure to stress, particularly work-related stress (Calisi, 2017). Long-term persistent stress can lead to depression, which may contribute to many other unhealthy or wellness condition (Calisi, 2017).

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Depression is an epidemic in nursing, but no one will talk about it. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI), nurses experience clinical depression at twice the rate of the general public (Lampert, 2016). Depression affects 9% of everyday citizens, but 18% of nurses’ experience symptoms of depression (Lampert, 2016).

Nurses with high work-related stress have lower job performance, lower morale, higher absenteeism, and tend to make more frequent medication errors, and poor judgment call (Calisi, 2017).

If burnout is not addressed it can ensue and has been correlated with poor patient outcomes, increased mortality, increased infection and decreased patient satisfaction (Romano, Trotta, & Rich, 2013). According to the article, nurses frequently leave the profession due to secondary stressors experienced in their work and work settings. One in five new nurses leaves their job within 1 year because of job stress. More concerning is that 27% to 54% of nurses under the age of 30, plan on leaving their position within 1 year (Calisi, 2017). Nurses are leaving the bedside due to the physical demands, job stress, and failure to nurture nurses (Calisi, 2017).

In this research study, registered nurses from three of the cardiac units at Massachusetts are randomly selected through a voluntary base. The nurses who agree to participate were randomized into either the waiting-list control group, or the intervention group. There were 24 nurses in the intervention group and 22 in the control group. Those that were selected were allowed to receive a 45 minute in service regarding the Relaxation Response (Calisi, 2017). The group was encouraged to do the breathing exercise for 10 to 20 minutes, twice per day, for 8 weeks and were asked to keep a journal of their relaxation breathing session (Calisi, 2017). Both groups were asked to complete pre-and post-self-assessments using state-trait anxiety inventory and semantic differential scale.

The study showed that both groups were well balanced at a baseline with respect to state-trait anxiety and semantic differential scales which measured anxiety, depression, well-being, work-related stress, and confidence teaching the relaxation response (Calisi, 2017). According to Calisi, 2017, article, after the program or at the post-assessment, those who participated in the intervention group reported greater confidence to teach the relaxation response. (M=3.58, SD=1.70)