The Uncarved Blog

EurkeAlert! Press Release, Monday, 11 December, 2023, 9:00 AM US ET

Frontline nurses who learned the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) technique during the COVID-19 pandemic showed rapid and significant improvements in flourishing, PTSD, anxiety, and burnout over 3 months compared to controls, according to a study published today in the Journal of Nursing Administration.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Transcendental Meditation on nurses’ multidimensional well-being, conceptualized as the presence of flourishing and the absence of PTSD, anxiety, and burnout.

A total of 104 nurses in three Florida hospitals participated. Validated tools included the Secure Flourishing Index (SFI), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Nurses also completed a Demographic Survey and a Meditation Frequency Questionnaire.

Clinical nurses who were randomized to the Transcendental Meditation group took the instruction with certified TM teachers, which included follow-up meetings over a 3-month period. Adherence to the study protocol was notably strong considering the disruption caused by the pandemic. The control group continued with “life as usual” and were offered the TM course at the conclusion of the study.

Study Results

Based on the statistical analysis there was a 62% decrease in anxiety in the TM group from baseline to 1 month compared to 3% in the controls, and a 54% decrease in the TM group after 3 months compared to 17% in the controls.

PTSD decreased 53% from baseline to 1 month in the TM group compared to 9% in the control group, and 57% in the TM group over 3 months compared to a 17% decrease in the controls.

Burnout (due to emotional exhaustion) decreased by 27% from baseline to 1 month in the TM group compared to no change in the controls, and 24% in the TM group over the 3-month study period compared to no change in controls.

In the TM group, flourishing improved by 15% from baseline to 1 month compared to a decrease of 1% in the control group and increased 16% in the TM group compared to a 3% increase in controls from baseline to 3 months.

Authors’ Conclusion

According to lead author Jennifer Bonamer, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, NPD-BC, Nursing Professional Development Specialist at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System: “It has never been more crucial that we support the health of our nurses and other clinical staff. This study is important because it demonstrated that TM was substantially helpful, even during COVID, in reducing PTSD, anxiety and burnout experienced by nurses. Furthermore, it helped to improve nurses’ experience of thriving (flourishing) beyond just surviving, even in the midst of today’s challenging healthcare environment.”

The authors conclude this study demonstrates the effectiveness of nurses’ practice of the TM technique to improve flourishing and reduce PTSD, anxiety, and burnout. TM provides nurses with a simple, effective, and evidence-based strategy for enhancing well-being, with the goal of retaining clinical nurses in practice.

About the Transcendental Meditation Technique

Transcendental Meditation is a simple, natural technique practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. It is easily learned, and is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle. It does not involve concentration, control of the mind, contemplation, or monitoring of thoughts or breathing. The practice allows the active thinking mind to settle down to a state of inner calm. For more information visit https://tm-nurses.org.

Study Title: Clinical Nurse Well-Being Improved through Transcendental Meditation: A Multi-Method Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors: Jennifer I. Bonamer, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, NPD-BC; Mary Kutash, PhD, APRN; Susan Hartranft, PhD, APRN; Catherine Aquino-Russell, PhD, RN; Andrew Bugajski, PhD, RN; Ayesha Johnson, PhD.

Funding: Funding was provided by the David Lynch Foundation’s Heal the Healers Now campaign.

DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000001372

Publisher: The Journal of Nursing Administration is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Media Contact: Amy Ruff BSN RN | Expert Contact: Jen Bonamer PhD RN

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News Coverage: News of this study is being widely distributed. The EurekAlert embargoed press release was read and publicized via news agencies, which were picked up by many US news outlets. One of them was Talker News who added their own twist to it: Meditating can slash stress and anxiety for nurses: study. They showed “rapid and significant” improvements in PTSD, anxiety, and burnout. The other, Mirage, posted: Transcendental Meditation Halves PTSD, Anxiety in Nurses Amid COVID-19. Their articles are being reproduced on many news websites, as is the now public EurekAlert release on Bioengineer, ScienceMag, and News-Medical (Transcendental Meditation significantly reduces PTSD, anxiety, and burnout in nurses during COVID-19).

Related Studies: Recent study shows Transcendental Meditation reduced burnout and enhanced well-being in nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic and Transcendental Meditation Reduces Compassion Fatigue and Improves Resilience for Nurses.

February 4, 2024: TM Talks host Mario Orsatti interviewed Amy Ruff about this study, an earlier one, and her work of bringing TM to the nursing profession, for which they earn continuing education credit. See Happier Nurses Result in Healthier Patients – Enjoy TM News where you can watch their informative conversation (53:12), which includes video excerpts of health professionals discussing how TM helped them deal with the demands of their profession, especially during the COVID crisis.

_{— Written and compiled (citing sources) by Ken Chawkin for The Uncarved Blog.}