Implementing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Improving Nurse-to-Patient Ratios to Reduce Burnout and Improve Nurse Retention in an Outpatient Clinic Setting
Burnout among nurses remains a critical concern in outpatient clinic environments due to increasing workloads, time pressure, staffing shortages, and high patient demands. Burnout is strongly associated with emotional exhaustion, decreased job satisfaction, reduced quality of care, and increased turnover intentions. Therefore, implementing evidence-based interventions that target both individual coping skills and organizational workload factors is essential to promote nurse well-being and workforce stability (Dall’Ora et al., 2020; Jun et al., 2021).
Population
The population for this practice change project will include registered nurses (RNs) working in an outpatient clinic setting, including full-time and part-time nurses who provide direct patient care.
Present Situation/Problem
Currently, nurses in the clinic report increased stress levels, fatigue, and reduced work engagement, which may contribute to higher burnout rates and decreased retention. Staffing challenges and suboptimal nurse-to-patient ratios often increase workload intensity, limiting time for breaks, documentation, and supportive teamwork. These factors place nurses at greater risk for burnout and job dissatisfaction (Dall’Ora et al., 2020).
Possible Intervention
The proposed intervention will combine:
1.    A structured Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program delivered weekly to improve emotional regulation, resilience, and stress management skills.
2.    A targeted nurse-to-patient ratio improvement strategy, such as adjusting staffing assignments, limiting daily patient volume per nurse, or adding support staff coverage during peak clinic hours. Both approaches address burnout from a dual perspective: personal coping strategies and workload reduction (Jun et al., 2021).
Desired Outcomes
The desired outcomes over 8 weeks include:
·       Reduced nurse burnout levels (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization)
·       Improved job satisfaction and professional engagement
·       Increased intent to stay and improved nurse retention indicators
Timeframe
The intervention will be implemented and evaluated over an 8-week period, with baseline measurement during Week 1 and post-intervention measurement during Week 8.
References
Dall’Ora, C., Ball, J., Reinius, M., & Griffiths, P. (2020). Burnout in nursing: A theoretical review. Human Resources for Health, 18(1), 41. https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-020-00469-9Links to an external site.
Jun, J., Ojemeni, M. M., Kalamani, R., Tong, J., & Crecelius, M. L. (2021). Relationship between nurse burnout, patient and organizational outcomes: Systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 119, 103933. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002074892100047X
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Module 2:Â Overview of EBP Process and Translation
Instructions:
As a DNP scholar, you are expected to perform an academic search of scholarly peer-review journal articles on a given topic. For this assignment, you will choose an article from a peer-review journal database, including but not limited to CINAHL, MEDLINE, Pub MED, NIH, Google Scholar, and AGM Virtual Library. Once you have your article, you will read and analyze the document and be able to answer the following questions:
1.    What is the purpose of the study?
2.    What type of methodology the researcher utilizes and why?
3.    How do the results of the study contribute to the research question?
Use an Essay FormatÂ
·       You must present your writing double-spaced, in a Times New Roman, Arial, or Courier New font, with a font size of 12.
·       Pay attention to grammar rules (spelling and syntax).
·       Your work must be original and not contain material copied from books or the internet.
·       When citing the work of other authors, including citations and references, use APA style to respect their intellectual property and avoid plagiarism.
·       Remember that your writing must have a header or a cover page that includes the name of the institution, the program, the course code, the title of the activity, your name and student number, and the assignment’s due date.
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Contribute a minimum of 5 pages. It should include at least 2 academic sources, formatted and cited in APA.
 Official Rubric for Case Study Rubric
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– Official Rubric for Case Study Rubric |
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Criteria |
Ratings |
Pts |
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeCritical Thinking and Logical Development of Ideas |
40Â to >36.0Â ptsExcellentThe case study provided all basic 36Â to >32.0Â ptsGoodThe case study provided the most 32Â to >28.0Â ptsFairThe case study provided some basic 28Â to >24.0Â ptsPoorThe case study provided only minimal 24Â to >0Â ptsUnacceptableThe assignment did not reflect the |
40Â pts |
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContent Mastery |
25Â to >23.0Â ptsExcellentThe response shows exemplary mastery 23Â to >20.0Â ptsGoodThe response shows good mastery of 20Â to >18.0Â ptsFairThe response shows fair mastery of 18Â to >15.0Â ptsPoorThe response does not show mastery 15Â to >0Â ptsUnacceptableThe assignment did not reflect the |
25Â pts |
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeInformation Literacy Quality of Resources |
15Â to >14.0Â ptsExcellentSupporting information is pertinent 14Â to >12.0Â ptsGoodSupporting information is pertinent 12Â to >11.0Â ptsFairSupporting information is pertinent 11Â to >9.0Â ptsPoorThe following criteria would apply, 9Â to >0Â ptsUnacceptableResources did not reflect the |
15Â pts |
|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeWriting Mechanics, Grammar, and APA |
10Â to >9.0Â ptsExcellentExcellence in grammar, spelling, and 9Â to >8.0Â ptsGoodMinimal (1 – 3) typos, spelling, 8Â to >7.0Â ptsFairMultiple (4 -7) typos, spelling, 7Â to >6.0Â ptsPoorSevere (8 – 10) typos, spelling, 6Â to >0Â ptsUnacceptableUnacceptable (11 or more) typos, |
10Â pts |
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This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeFormat Organization and Presentation of Information |
10Â to >9.0Â ptsExcellentThe document has a high level of 9Â to >8.0Â ptsGoodThe document has a good, 8Â to >7.0Â ptsFairThe presentation of information does 7Â to >6.0Â ptsPoorThe presentation of information 6Â to >0Â ptsUnacceptableThe assignment did not reflect the |
10Â pts |
Total Points:Â 100
