Role of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Enhancing Critical Care Nurses’ Sense of Personal Accomplishment

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on enhancing the sense of personal accomplishment among critical care nurses.

Study Design: A quasi-experimental study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Critical Care Units of Al-Hussein Medical City and Imam Al-Hassan Al-Mujtaba Teaching Hospital in Karbala, Iraq from 7th June to 13th November 2024.

Methods: This study was conducted with 88 critical care nurses from two Hospitals in Karbala. Due to the specialized nature of critical care units, participants in the intervention group attended sessions comprising 2–5 individuals each. Nurses were randomly allocated to intervention group and control group. The intervention group undertook an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program, while the control group continued with their routine duties. Both groups completed the personal accomplishment subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) before and after the intervention.

Results: The experimental group showed a significant improvement in personal accomplishment compared with a slight decline in the control group, reflecting a moderate effect size. Within-group analysis confirmed a substantial effect only for the experimental group, which also achieved a markedly higher percentage improvement. Among socio-demographic variables, only family structure was significant, with nurses from nuclear families showing greater gains.

Conclusion: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy significantly improves personal accomplishment among critical care nurses, enhancing their resilience and reducing burnout.