I chose mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in treatment to reduce chronic pain because I believe that health should be a comprehensive, total body state, not just a physical one. Chronic pain is an ailment many people suffer daily, including my family members who live with rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia. My purpose in this research was to discover a mind-body approach to use in my advanced practice to benefit those with chronic pain effectively. Ideally, people with daily pain will be able to utilize MBSR as a practice to control their pain levels and their feelings and responses to the negative symptoms associated with their disorders. As an advanced practice nurse, I will refer my patients to a helpful course that ensures their physical and psychological needs are met. MBSR has been proven to be a beneficial nonpharmacologic therapy to manage chronic pain symptoms. By using the stress reduction and meditation aspects of the treatment in addition to their traditional care, patients will be able to treat all aspects of their health.
Aiken et al. (2016) measured the outcomes of patient mortality, ratings of care, care quality, patient safety, adverse events, and nurse burnout or job dissatisfaction. These factors were measured to determine if more professional nurses versus associate nurses in a workplace are associated with more favorable outcomes for patients and nurses. The researchers analyzed these factors through reports obtained from hospitals’ patient discharge data, hospital administrative information, and nurse and patient surveys. In my theoretical research, I would plan to measure the outcomes of patient-reported pain levels and quality of life. Through surveys before, during, and after an 8-week MBSR course, the efficacy of the treatment could be observed.
