Purpose:The purpose of this study was to explore emergency care nurses’
experiences of an intervention to increase compassion and empathy and reduce stress
through individual mindfulness training delivered via workshops and a smartphone
application. We also explored how the nurses felt about the practical and technical
aspects of the intervention.Design:Qualitative interview study.Method:Individual interviews were conducted with eight of the 56
participants in the intervention study and used phenomenological analysis to illuminate
how they made sense of their lived experiences of mindfulness training.Findings:Three themes illuminated the nurses’ experiences: becoming aware,
changing through mindfulness, and gaining the tools for mindfulness through workshops and
the mobile application. The first two themes expressed personal experiences, whereas the
third expressed experiences of the practical and technical aspects of the intervention.
Most nurses found the mobile application easy to use and effective.Conclusions:Emergency care nurses can feel that the awareness and changes
that come with mindfulness training benefit them, their colleagues, and the patients for
whom they care. The findings also provide insights into the challenges of practicing
mindfulness in a busy emergency care setting and into the practical aspects of using a
smartphone application to train mindfulness.