Dyess, Susan MacLeod

Nurse leaders need to possess stress management
skills to support their effective and successful management
of their patient service units. Meditation is
frequently cited within the literature as an option for
a number of workforces to cultivate being present,
and recognizing and reducing stress. Therefore, the
purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a
personal systematic meditation practice for nurse
leaders on their reported stress, mindfulness, sense
of control and self-esteem and patient satisfaction on
the nursing units they manage. The study employs a repeated measures intervention design for nurse
leaders at two sites with a mixed method integrated
approach. Focus group interviews, patient satisfaction
scores and four valid instruments are used for
data collection at baseline, week 6 and week 12; the
instruments Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale
(MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Rosenberg
Self-Esteem (RSE) and Locus of Control (LOC).

The number of adults over the age of 65 years living with one of more chronic illness in the United States is an acknowledged health challenge for the 21st century. This qualitative research investigation examined the lived experience for adults living with one or more chronic illnesses in the context of a community of faith with access to a faith community nurse. Interpretative hermeneutic analysis was used for the phenomenological study. Findings indicate that the adults expressed their primary essence is living in abundance while living faith and living caring. The findings from this study describe the relationship between adults living with chronic illness, the community of faith and the faith community nurse. Further, findings from this study contribute to essential knowledge necessary for developing models of health care in the community for adults living with chronic illness and nursing care in the community that are distinct and complex. Findings will also support the development of interventions in contexts of faith communities to support and strengthen adults living with one or more chronic illness. The emerging specialty practice in nursing labeled faith community nursing holds promise to come alongside current models of health care to support living in abundance.