Mobile Mindfulness: A Smartphone App Approach to Enhancing Mental Health in Nurses

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to address the mental health needs of nurses attending a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) clinical skills training in Tucson, Arizona. The objective of this project was to develop and distribute an informative intervention, in the form of a mindfulness-based smartphone application, that could reduce stress and improve mental wellness in nurses. Background. Burnout and depression are prevalent issues in the healthcare industry, with nurses being particularly vulnerable. Research shows that female nurses are twice as likely to die by suicide compared to same-sex non-nurses, and male healthcare workers have a slightly higher suicide rate than males in the general population. Extensive research emphasizes the urgent need for interventions to support the mental health and well-being of healthcare professionals. Methods. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. The intervention consisted of a series of interactive information pages on a smartphone application. A one-group posttest survey strategy was implemented to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Participant demographics and feedback surveys were collected for evaluation. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis to identify the significance of the intervention on perceived stress, reported behavior changes, and the overall effectiveness of the smartphone application content. The evaluation tool used for measurement was constructed using a modified and internally validated assessment tool. Results. The project was conducted during the University of Arizona’s summer SANE training, in Tucson, Arizona, and online over a two-week timeframe, with participants having access to the application content throughout the project. Upon completion of the project, one participant demonstrated a modest reduction in perceived stress levels, two participants reported a moderate improvement in perceived sleep quality and all participants reported a high satisfaction with the overall phone app. Conclusions. The QI project introduced a sleep hygiene and wellness module into the SANE Well app, aiming to educate nurses on mental well-being and stress reduction. Preliminary data suggest that some users made improvements in their self-care routines and felt a moderate reduction in stress. After using the app, participants appeared to have a better understanding of the factors contributing to their stress, indicating a moderate impact of the app on sleep hygiene and mental health awareness.