Yoga for Self-Care and Burnout Prevention Among Nurses

Abstract

The promotion of self-care and the prevention of burnout among nurses is a public health priority. Evidence supports the efficacy of yoga to improve physical and mental health outcomes, but few studies have examined the influence of yoga on nurse-specific outcomes. The purpose of this pilot-level randomized controlled trial was to examine the efficacy of yoga to improve self-care and reduce burnout among nurses. Compared with controls (n = 20), yoga participants (n = 20) reported significantly higher self-care as well as less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization upon completion of an 8-week yoga intervention. Although the control group demonstrated no change throughout the course of the study, the yoga group showed a significant improvement in scores from pre- to post-intervention for self-care (p < .001), mindfulness (p = .028), emotional exhaustion (p = .008), and depersonalization (p = .007) outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.

Keywords: burnout; health promotion; mental health; nurse; yoga.