A Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Resiliency Program for Critical Care Nurses

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a stressful environment for all critical care healthcare providers. In the United States, there are more than 500,000 critical care (ICU) nurses that treat the most seriously ill patients. These ICU nurses have especially challenging and sometimes overwhelming jobs due to high patient mortality and morbidity, and frequent encounters with ethical dilemmas. The repetitive exposure to these extreme stressors and the inability to adjust to their difficult work environment may cause significant psychological stress. The investigator's multidisciplinary research team was one of the first to identify that ICU nurses have significantly high rates of psychological distress including: symptoms of anxiety and depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout syndrome (BOS). Work-induced distress initiates a negative cycle that contributes to the unacceptably high ICU nursing turnover rate. Nationally, nursing turnover rates range between 17-20% per year. In the ICU, the growing nursing shortage is particularly concerning. Presently, there are no interventions to reduce BOS in ICU nurses. Many stresses on ICU nurses are inherent to the critical care environment such as performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the death of a patient. Therefore, the investigators multidisciplinary research group has focused on enhancing the ability of ICU nurses to adapt to their work environment. Resiliency enables one to thrive in the face of adversity. Humans respond to stress and trauma in a variety of ways. Some people are resilient; defined as the ability to succeed, to live, and to develop in a positive way despite the stress or adversity that would normally involve the real possibility of a negative outcome. In practice, resilient individuals believe that what they do can have a positive impact on a situation, that some components of the 'system' can be controlled or influenced by one's own actions, that persistent effort is worthwhile, and that setbacks or potentially threatening events are inevitable and surmountable. A variety of qualities are associated with resiliency including the ability to engage the support of others, the belief that stress can be strengthening, and overall optimism. Though some individuals are inherently resilient; resiliency can be learned. Developing resiliency may be one strategy to prevent and treat symptoms of BOS. The investigators have demonstrated that resilient ICU nurses were less likely to have symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and BOS. The investigators also identified methods used by ICU nurses to promote resiliency and emotional wellness. The investigators ICU nursing pilot program also increased resiliency and decreased symptoms of BOS. From the investigators prior studies, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are two modalities currently used by resilient ICU nurses. In the investigators most recent national survey, ICU nurses were eager to learn MBSR and CBT techniques to help reduce symptoms of BOS. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) combines the best of MBSR and CBT, and may build resiliency and reduce BOS symptoms. MBCT was developed by integrating the framework and practices of MBSR and CBT. Classically incorporated into an 8 week course, MBCT uses mindfulness skills to help individuals become aware of negative thoughts and feelings that are activated by stress. MBCT also incorporates CBT techniques to develop a different relationship to those thoughts and feelings, and interrupt the negative thought patterns.