Aim: To examine the experiences of nurses and nursing assistants who participated in a mindfulness project.
Background: Increased demands and fewer resources have become the norm in most health care settings. As a result, health care professionals face exceptional stress in their work environments and are vulnerable to burnout and compassion fatigue. Even more distressing, many new nurses are leaving their jobs within the first two years.
Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine participants to discover their experience with the project.
Results: The major theme, a process of moving from practice to praxis, is brought forth through in-depth descriptive analysis of nine individual interviews. The process occurred through three themes: fostering self-awareness and compassion; fostering other-awareness and compassion; and compelling transformation in the unit culture.
Conclusions: This study develops an evidence base for incorporating and building mindfulness into health care environments at a time when there is a tremendous need for highly functioning practitioners.
Implications for nursing management: Nurse leaders are encouraged to examine how they can support their staff in moving from practice to praxis as a part of improving professional well-being, retention, quality and safety in health care.
Keywords: caring; cultural transformation; gratitude; mindfulness; praxis; self-compassion.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.