Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mental health in department of emergency nurses: A narrative review

Abstract

Emergency department nurses face severe occupational stress leading to anxiety, depression, and burnout, which significantly impair their well-being and patient-care quality. This narrative review examined the role of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in addressing these challenges. Rooted in nonjudgmental present-moment awareness, MBSR enhances emotional regulation and reduces psychological distress by fostering adaptive coping strategies. Studies have demonstrated its efficacy in lowering anxiety, depressive symptoms, and emotional exhaustion, while improving workplace well-being, empathy, and job satisfaction. Mechanistically, MBSR improves interoceptive awareness and autonomic balance, as evidenced by physiological markers such as heart rate variability. However, gaps remain in long-term efficacy assessments, personalized interventions, and integration with multidisciplinary approaches. Future research should prioritize tailored biomarker-driven programs, longitudinal studies, and scalable implementation strategies in high-stress clinical settings. This review underscores MBSR’s potential as a sustainable, evidence-based tool to enhance emergency department nurses’ mental health and professional performance, advocating for broader adoption and further refinement of its practical applications.

Keywords: Job satisfaction; Emotional regulation; Mental health; Occupational stress; Mindfulness-based stress reduction; Emergency department nurses

Core Tip: This review explores the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in improving mental health among emergency department nurses. It highlights mindfulness-based stress reduction’s benefits in reducing psychological stress, negative emotions, and occupational burnout, while enhancing emotional regulation and job satisfaction. Future research should focus on personalized interventions and long-term efficacy.