The Effect of Micro-Break Guided Mindfulness During Nursing Shifts on Cognitive Fatigue, Clinical Accuracy, and Patient Interaction Quality

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of micro-breaks integrated with guided mindfulness exercises on nurses’ cognitive fatigue, clinical accuracy, and the quality of patient interactions during demanding nursing shifts. Cognitive fatigue among nurses is a known contributor to errors, decreased patient safety, and impaired communication, yet practical interventions to mitigate fatigue effects remain underexplored. We implemented a randomized controlled trial involving 120 registered nurses in a tertiary hospital setting. The intervention group engaged in brief, guided mindfulness sessions during scheduled micro-breaks, while a control group followed standard break routines. Outcomes were assessed using validated cognitive fatigue scales, clinical error rates from medical records, and patient interaction quality measured via standardized observation protocols. Results demonstrated that mindfulness micro-breaks significantly reduced cognitive fatigue, improved clinical accuracy, and enhanced patient communication quality compared to controls (p<0.001). These findings suggest incorporating brief mindfulness practices during nursing shifts is a feasible and effective strategy to sustain performance, promote patient safety, and improve workplace wellbeing. Further implementation research is warranted to optimize protocols and evaluate long-term impacts.