Stress Free Now, a Mind-body Reduction Program for Nurses

Mindful meditation sessions have been associated with an improvement in mindfulness, perceived stress, psychological well-being, anxiety, hostility, and depression. Meditation has been associated with a decrease in autonomic sympathetic activity, heart rate, oxygen consumption and energy expenditure. Randomized controlled trials of online mindfulness and relaxation programs have been studied in patients with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, headache, depression, fibromyalgia, and insomnia. Nurses may benefit from such programs given levels of job stress. This study will determine whether an online stress reduction program that incorporates meditation with and without concomitant group support reduces burnout among nurses, including emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The proposed research study will utilize Stress Free Now, an online stress reduction program developed by Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.