Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Billy Mullins, DNP, RN, NE-BC
Keywords
Burnout; Mindfulness; Nursing; Stress in the Workplace
Abstract
Background: Burnout among nurses is a persistent problem facing the healthcare industry and contributes to the projected shortage of nurses in the future. Nurses are at high-risk for suffering from burnout due to high prevalence of workplace stress. Exploring means to address and reduce burnout among nurses is a priority for every healthcare organization.
Objective: This project implemented a mindfulness-based program delivered via mobile phone application (app) and evaluated the app feasibility and impact on self-reported symptoms of burnout and turnover intention among registered nurses.
Methods: Nurses from two medical-surgical inpatient units in one acute care hospital were invited to download and use the Vitalize Care app over an eight-week period. A same-participant pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate self-reported symptoms of burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and intent to leave using the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS). Feasibility of using the app was measured through a seven item post-intervention survey developed for this project.
Results: Five participants (3.4%) completed the pretest surveys, with four (4.25%) completing the posttest surveys. The baseline average scores on the MBI were highest in emotional exhaustion (EE) at 32.75 (SD 15.95) and dropped to 25.75 (SD 16.3) post-intervention. Mean pre-intervention TIS of 20.2 (SD 4.8) dropped to 17 (2.2). Related-Samples Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests showed no significant changes in pretest and posttest mean scores in any measured category. Nurses voiced concerns remembering to use the app yet intended to use a mindfulness app in the future.
Conclusions: This project revealed the presence of baseline burnout symptoms and intent to leave among participants. Further exploration is recommended on the utility of mindfulness apps among registered nurses. Incorporating MBI for nurses is a cost-effective and sustainable method for organizations to reduce nurse burnout, turnover, and improve wellbeing.
Copyright Notice
©2025 Kevin A. Proctor. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Proctor, K. A. (2025). Impact of a Mobile Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Burnout and Intent to Leave Among Registered Nurses in a Clinical Setting. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/170
Open Access
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