Effect of a Mindfulness Training Program on Surgical Nurses

The Effect of a Mindfulness Training Program on Surgical Nurses' Psychological Resilience, Work Motivation, and Cognitive Awareness: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled single-blind study aims to evaluate the effect of mindfulness training on mindfulness levels, psychological resilience, and work motivation among surgical nurses. Surgical nurses work in highly demanding environments characterized by complex patient care processes, unpredictable complications, and intensive workloads, which may negatively affect their psychological resilience and work motivation. Mindfulness-based interventions have been reported to improve psychological well-being, coping strategies, and professional functioning among healthcare professionals.

The study will be conducted with nurses working in surgical clinics at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Health Practice and Research Center. Eligible nurses will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving mindfulness training or a control group receiving no intervention. The mindfulness training program will be delivered over four weeks, consisting of two sessions per week, each lasting 40 minutes.

Data will be collected using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Short Form (CD-RISC-10), and Nurses' Work Motivation Scale. Measurements will be performed at baseline and four weeks after completion of the training program. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to improving psychological resilience, mindfulness, and work motivation among surgical nurses and support the development of effective supportive care interventions in clinical settings.

Study Overview

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Conditions: Mindfulness Training
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Mindfulness Training

Detailed Description

Nurses constitute a fundamental component of healthcare systems and play a critical role in maintaining, promoting, and improving individual and community health. Surgical nurses, in particular, work in complex and dynamic environments requiring rapid decision-making, management of high-risk situations, and continuous patient monitoring. The unpredictable nature of surgical patient outcomes and the occurrence of unexpected complications may increase stress levels and negatively affect nurses' psychological resilience and work motivation.

Psychological resilience refers to an individual's ability to recover from stressful or adverse experiences and adapt effectively to challenging conditions. Several internal and external factors influence resilience, including emotional awareness, coping skills, social relationships, and cognitive awareness. Among these factors, mindfulness has been identified as a significant contributor to psychological resilience and psychological well-being. Mindfulness is defined as the ability to focus attention on the present moment in a non-judgmental and accepting manner. Mindfulness-based practices, such as breathing exercises and meditation, promote emotional regulation, stress management, and cognitive flexibility.

Previous studies have demonstrated that mindfulness-based interventions improve anxiety levels, reduce burnout, enhance job satisfaction, and support emotional well-being among healthcare professionals. However, limited evidence exists regarding the combined effects of mindfulness training on mindfulness levels, psychological resilience, and work motivation among surgical nurses. Considering the demanding and stressful nature of surgical settings, interventions aimed at improving nurses' psychological well-being may positively influence both professional performance and quality of care.

This study is designed as a single-blind randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured mindfulness training program among surgical nurses. The study population will consist of nurses working in surgical clinics at Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University Health Practice and Research Center. Participants who meet the inclusion criteria and provide informed consent will be randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group using a computer-based randomization method.

Participants in the experimental group will receive a structured mindfulness training program delivered by a certified mindfulness trainer. The program will be conducted over four weeks, with two sessions per week, each lasting 40 minutes. Participants will be grouped into small groups of approximately ten individuals to facilitate interaction and learning. The control group will not receive any intervention during the study period.

Data will be collected using validated measurement tools. Sociodemographic data will be collected using a Personal Information Form. Mindfulness levels will be measured using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), psychological resilience will be assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Short Form (CD-RISC-10), and work motivation will be measured using the Nurses' Work Motivation Scale. Baseline measurements will be performed before the intervention, and post-intervention measurements will be conducted four weeks after completion of the mindfulness training program.

The outcome assessor will be blinded to group allocation to reduce assessment bias. The primary outcome of the study will be mindfulness level, while psychological resilience and work motivation will be evaluated as secondary outcomes.

The findings of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of mindfulness-based supportive interventions for surgical nurses. The results may contribute to improving nurses' psychological resilience, enhancing work motivation, and supporting occupational well-being in surgical clinical settings. Furthermore, the outcomes of this research may guide the development of structured supportive care programs aimed at strengthening nurses' professional performance and psychological health.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 76
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Afyonkarahisar, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Afyonkarahisar University of Health Sciences Health Application and Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• working as a nurse in a surgical clinic
• volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• not volunteering to participate in the study
• having previously received cognitive awareness training

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Structured Mindfulness Training; Participants receive a structured mindfulness training program.	Behavioral: Mindfulness Training; Participants receive mindfulness training sessions delivered according to the study protocol.
No Intervention: Standard Care (No Mindfulness Training); Participants receive standard care without mindfulness training.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mindfulness Level	Midfulness level will be assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The scale consists of 15 items rated on a 6-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of mindfulness. The total score ranges between 15 and 90. A high score on the scale indicates a high level of mindfulness.	Baseline and 4 weeks after completion of the mindfulness training program

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Psychological Resilience	Psychological resilience will be assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Short Form (CD-RISC-10). The scale consists of 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of psychological resilience.	Baseline and 4 weeks after completion of the mindfulness training program
Work Motivation	Work motivation will be assessed using the Nurses' Work Motivation Scale. The scale Short Form (CD-RISC-10). The scale consists of 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of psychological resilience.consists of 25 items rated on a 3-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of work motivation.	Baseline and 4 weeks after completion of the mindfulness training program

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: SELDA MERT
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Özlem Kersu, PhD, Eskisehir Osmangazi University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 16, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 21, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mindfulness; psychological resilience; job satisfaction; surgical nurses
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025/15

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No