Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing

Critical care nurses are exposed to high-acuity, emotionally demanding environments that contribute to elevated stress and burnout. Burnout is associated with emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction, increased turnover, and potential negative impacts on patient safety and quality of care. Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing stress and improving resilience, their implementation in inpatient critical care settings remains limited. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project was to implement and evaluate an 8-week MBI to reduce stress and burnout while improving Keyword: mindfulness among critical care nurses in an intensive care unit (ICU), and to assess feasibility and acceptability, poster, DNP Scholarly Project Poster 2026 This project utilized a pre- and post-intervention QI design guided by the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model. The intervention consisted of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR), delivered via weekly 5–10 minute guided electronic sessions (e.g., diaphragmatic breathing, mindful movement, gratitude reflection, and visualization). Participants were encouraged to practice mindfulness independently two to three times weekly. Outcome measures included burnout, perceived stress, and mindfulness, assessed using the Modified Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline, Week 4, and Week 8. Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment, retention, attendance, time burden, and participant feedback. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-paired samples t-tests. A total of 63 critical nurses enrolled, with 47 completing the intervention (74% retention). Burnout decreased from moderate at baseline to low levels post-intervention. Perceived stress declined from moderate (M = 20.1) at baseline to low levels (M = 7.5) at Week 8. Mindfulness increased from moderate (M = 3.16) at baseline to high levels (M = 5.26) post-intervention. Feasibility outcomes demonstrated strong engagement, high completion rates, and positive participant feedback, supporting acceptability within a high-acuity environment. Findings suggest that a brief MBI is both feasible and effective in reducing burnout and stress while enhancing mindfulness among critical care nurses. The findings support the integration of low-burden mindfulness strategies into nursing workflows as a scalable, evidence-based intervention to improve nurse well-being, reduce burnout in critical care settings, and guide broader organizational wellness initiatives.