Introduction
The book by Collard (2014), “The Little Book of Mindfulness,” presents the most widely used and effective ways to find inner balance. The author describes mental resilience, ways to manage stress, and the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy principles in her work (Collard, 2014). This paper discusses the mindfulness techniques proposed by the book’s author and their possible application in nursing practice. A high level of mindfulness is vital for nurses, as it builds resilience in stressful environments and enables them to work effectively.
Book
The main reason for selecting the book is the practical need for nurses to develop mindfulness techniques. This profession entails daily stress and a high psychological burden due to a significant workload. In addition, the nurse should be able to regulate their emotional state, which is especially critical for working with patients. The nurse practitioner should help people suffering from the diseases feel comfortable, soothe them, and create the feeling that everything is under control (Collard, 2014). For this reason, the content of Collard’s (2014) book, “The Little Book of Mindfulness,” applies to my experience as an orthopedic nurse.
Two Topics of Interest
The first interesting point from the book is that people should adopt mindful eating strategies to support themselves. It supposes that nutrition should be regular and rich in vitamins to fill the body with energy. Mindfulness will become more ingrained as the person gains confidence using the methods.
After that, they can concentrate on using these techniques at more meals. It takes practice to eat mindfully, as one should try to chew their food thoroughly, eat more slowly, turn off distractions, and finish eating when they are no longer hungry (Collard, 2014). These habits might seem insignificant at first glance, but they constitute a healthy approach to dieting and ensure the person remains active and strong.
This topic has impacted me as a reader because it is relevant to my experience as an orthopedic nurse. My eating habits are currently unbalanced and mindful, and I must significantly improve this aspect. I typically skip meals because I don’t think they’re a priority right now. However, I understand it is a destructive habit, and I often lack energy because of it. As a professional nurse, a lack of energy will impair my ability to fulfill my responsibilities.
The second topic concerns living in a particular moment. It is possible to stop worrying about the past and being afraid of the future when living in the present. It entails living for the present and savoring what is happening (Collard, 2014). It applies to my current nursing work, making it especially critical for me.
I often worry about the upcoming things even though I cannot control them, and this feeling is disturbing. As a result, I cannot complete all the tasks I need now at the highest level because I am afraid I will not be able to control all the minor details. My stress level might increase in the future when I work in the hospital. For this reason, I need to learn to live in the moment without being anxious about the future.
Collaboration
Other nursing scholars support the information on mindfulness and its importance in nursing practice. The first example is the positive effect of meditation, a mindfulness technique, on workplace stress management (Green & Kinchen, 2021). The second example is decreased burnout among nurses who practice mindfulness regularly (Green & Kinchen, 2021). Nurses who frequently deal with trauma, discomfort, and heavy workloads may have occupational burnout linked to stress in the workplace.
Nurses who are burned out may experience harmful repercussions on their physical and mental well-being, as well as poor patient care. Research has shown that mindfulness-based stress reduction programs can help nurses reduce stress and burnout by fostering present awareness, emotional regulation, and optimistic thinking (Green & Kinchen, 2021). Therefore, results show that mindfulness meditation can help nurses feel less stressed and burned out.
Mindfulness-based interventions have been demonstrated to significantly reduce stress, enhance burnout in all its manifestations, and boost practicing nurses’ levels of self-compassion and empathy fulfillment (Green & Kinchen, 2021). By enhancing resilience, compassion, and emotional regulation while reducing self-judgment and excessive identification with experience, mindfulness can potentially reduce stress and burnout among nurses.
Practice Application
I plan to implement the knowledge from the discussed book in my clinical practice as a nurse. Mindfulness is the optimal way to manage my emotional state and maintain balance between work and relaxation (Collard, 2014). In addition, it is significant for my future work as a nurse practitioner because mindfulness will help me maintain an empathetic attitude toward my patients. It will help me avoid burnout, which adversely affects patient safety and the quality of services I can provide.
References
Collard, P. (2014). The little book of mindfulness. Gaia.
Green, A. A., & Kinchen, E. V. (2021). The effects of mindfulness meditation on stress and burnout in nurses. Journal of Holistic Nursing: Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, 39(4), 356–368.