Pre–post quality improvement study reveals increased uptake of on-site wellness modalities among hospital nurses, highlighting systemic workload barriers to cultural change.
Purpose To evaluate a workplace-integrated quality improvement initiative designed to address persistent staff stress and limited access to restorative experiences within the nursing work environment of a Magnet-designated academic medical center. Design Pre–post quality improvement evaluation using independent, anonymous samples. Methods Over 11 months, brief on-site integrative modalities (e.g., chair massage, meditation, Jin Shin Jyutsu, yoga, and other restorative practices) were offered across shifts to enhance access within workflow. An author-developed electronic survey assessed stress-reduction practices, perceived self-care opportunities, knowledge of stress-reduction techniques, and perceptions of a healing nursing work environment at baseline ( n = 166) and follow-up ( n = 158). Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and Mann–Whitney analyses compared groups. Qualitative analysis examined open-ended responses. Findings Participation in wellness activities reached 43% at follow-up, with notable increases in chair massage and meditation use. Perception scores for self-care opportunities and healing culture remained stable without statistically significant change. Qualitative feedback described relaxation, restoration, and connection, while staffing and scheduling barriers limited engagement. Conclusions Embedding accessible, brief holistic practices within the nursing work environment is feasible and valued. Findings highlight the influence of organizational context on staff engagement and support system-level approaches to workforce well-being aligned with the Quadruple Aim.
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Millspaugh et al. (2026) studied this question.
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