The impact of mindfulness training on emotional resilience and job engagement among NICU and PICU Saudi and Egyptian nurses: a quasi experimental comparative study

Background: Nurses working in Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU/PICU) experience high levels of stress that can diminish emotional resilience and job engagement. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are known to enhance psychological well-being; however, evidence in culturally diverse settings, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, remains limited. Objective: This study assessed the effects of mindfulness training on emotional resilience, job engagement, and mindfulness and compared the outcomes between NICU and PICU nurses in both countries. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post-comparative design was used. The participants were nurses from the King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital (Saudi Arabia) and Mansoura University Pediatric Hospital (Egypt). Emotional resilience, engagement, and mindfulness were measured using validated tools, including the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). An eight-session Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program was delivered in person, supported by video recordings to address scheduling constraints. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation (p < 0.05). Results: The baseline demographics of the Egyptian and Saudi nurses were comparable. Post-intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in mindfulness, engagement, and resilience. Egyptian nurses demonstrated greater gains, with mindfulness increasing from 74.8 to 164.0, engagement from 24.2 to 81.3, and resilience from 13.1 to 36.3. Saudi nurses also improved, with mindfulness increasing from 79.7 to 136.5, engagement from 26.1 to 72.6, and resilience from 14.7 to 28.7. High levels across all domains were achieved by 91.7% of the Egyptian nurses and 25.0-73.3% of the Saudi nurses. Conclusion: Mindfulness training is an effective strategy for enhancing emotional resilience and job engagement among NICU and PICU nurses. Flexible delivery can reduce implementation barriers, supporting culturally adapted MBIs to improve nurses' well-being.