Other Titles
Virtual Session
Abstract
Nurses in clinical practice and nursing students who are training for clinical practice are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress related to an ongoing global pandemic, widespread staffing deficits, and other ongoing challenges related to organizational, sociopolitical, and global stressors. Self-care has long been recognized as a significant factor in determining level of resilience and well-being among nurses and other allied health professions. Many nurses report that they have no time to engage in self-care activities either at work or at home due to time limitations imposed by a need to complete critical tasks rather than attend to personal well-being. Narratives of nurses and nursing students who completed an online course on mindful caring for self and others consistently reported that brief and simple mindful breathing moments, interspersed throughout the workday and at home, offer meaningful respite from ongoing stressors (McGinnis & Sitzman, 2022; Sitzman & Craven, 2021; Hebdon, Clayton, and Sitzman, 2016; Sitzman, Jensen, & Chan, 2016). In this presentation, supporting evidence will be presented along with quotes from nurses who value this method as a self-care staple during busy workdays when other forms of self-care are not feasible will also be shared (Sitzman & Watson, 2018). Participants will then be guided through the 3-minute "Three Mindful Breaths" activity. This "Three Mindful Breaths" activity can be used while hand washing between patient encounters, before entering professional meetings, during group huddles, at the beginning of group events to create shared focus, before or after a stressful event, or during any other brief period during the day where enhanced awareness, stress release, or centering is desired. An audio link will be provided to participants to download a free guided audio version of this activity for personal use and to freely share with others who may appreciate a simple, brief, easy-to-use anywhere, anytime self-care tool.
Sigma Membership
Beta Nu
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document, Video Recording
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Workforce, Stress, Coping, Mindfulness, Breathing
Recommended Citation
Sitzman, Kathleen, "Ease Workday Stress by Coming Home to the Breath" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 12.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2023/presentations_2023/12
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Austin, Texas, USA and Virtual
Conference Year
2023
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Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-10-14
Ease Workday Stress by Coming Home to the Breath
Austin, Texas, USA and Virtual
Nurses in clinical practice and nursing students who are training for clinical practice are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress related to an ongoing global pandemic, widespread staffing deficits, and other ongoing challenges related to organizational, sociopolitical, and global stressors. Self-care has long been recognized as a significant factor in determining level of resilience and well-being among nurses and other allied health professions. Many nurses report that they have no time to engage in self-care activities either at work or at home due to time limitations imposed by a need to complete critical tasks rather than attend to personal well-being. Narratives of nurses and nursing students who completed an online course on mindful caring for self and others consistently reported that brief and simple mindful breathing moments, interspersed throughout the workday and at home, offer meaningful respite from ongoing stressors (McGinnis & Sitzman, 2022; Sitzman & Craven, 2021; Hebdon, Clayton, and Sitzman, 2016; Sitzman, Jensen, & Chan, 2016). In this presentation, supporting evidence will be presented along with quotes from nurses who value this method as a self-care staple during busy workdays when other forms of self-care are not feasible will also be shared (Sitzman & Watson, 2018). Participants will then be guided through the 3-minute "Three Mindful Breaths" activity. This "Three Mindful Breaths" activity can be used while hand washing between patient encounters, before entering professional meetings, during group huddles, at the beginning of group events to create shared focus, before or after a stressful event, or during any other brief period during the day where enhanced awareness, stress release, or centering is desired. An audio link will be provided to participants to download a free guided audio version of this activity for personal use and to freely share with others who may appreciate a simple, brief, easy-to-use anywhere, anytime self-care tool.
Description
Summary: Participants will learn about and experience a brief, simple, mindful breathing method that enables brief, periodic self-care respites throughout busy and stressed workdays. This method can be used in a variety of settings by anyone needing an opportunity to regroup, refresh, and refocus.