A Practical Solution
The TM technique has been chosen by the American Nurses Association\California as one of five “best fit” solutions for nurses’ mental health and well-being.
Stress and fatigue damage our work life as well as our personal life. Nurse fatigue and burnout prevent us from enjoying more success, energy and happiness.
The TM program is a must for nurses. Over 435 independent, peer-reviewed studies verify that the technique relieves stress, promotes inner peace and increases focus and happiness. The research shows significant benefits not seen in studies on other meditation techniques.
What is TM?
The Transcendental Meditation technique is practiced daily, sitting comfortably with eyes closed. The TM practice is unique among meditation techniques—it’s easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, requires no concentration or special skills, and produces profound, immediate results.
The TM technique involves neither religion nor philosophy nor change in lifestyle. Other meditation techniques keep the mind active on the surface level of thought, whereas TM allows you to effortlessly experience a state of restful alertness and deep physical relaxation.
Hospitals that have facilitated TM instruction for their nurses include:
- Advocate Illinois Masonic—Chicago, IL
- Akron General Hospital—OH
- Capital Caring Hospice—Falls Church, VA
- Childrens Hospital— Akron, OH
- Cleveland Clinic—Vero Beach, FL
- Doylestown Memorial Hospital—Doylestown, PA
- Hunterdon Medical Center—Hunterdon, NJ
- Kaiser Hospital—Portland, OR
- Kaiser Hospital—San Diego, CA
- Moffitt Cancer Center—Tampa, FL
- Princeton Medical—Princeton, NJ
- Rose Dominican Hospital—Las Vegas, NV
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital—Sarasota, FL
- Scripps Memorial Hospital—San Diego, CA
- Tampa General Hospital—FL
- University of Iowa Hospital and College of Nursing—IA
VIDEO: Sarasota Memorial Hospital program for nurses (3:54)
How Nurses Benefit from TM
You can’t pour from an empty cup. You started nursing filled with energy and enthusiasm, but the stress of nursing may now have reduced your resilience and compassion. In fact, statistics show that over 40 percent of hospital staff nurses experience nurse burnout, characterized by exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and physical and mental stress.
The Transcendental Meditation technique significantly reduces anxiety by shifting the nervous system into a calmer, more balanced, harmonious style of functioning that is the opposite of feeling stressed.
Chronic stress has a deleterious effect on the entire physiology, including the brain. The TM practice is associated with lower cortisol levels, and is the only meditation that shows increases in broadband intra and inter-hemispheric EEG coherence. Other beneficial effects of the TM technique include a reduction in high blood pressure after only a few weeks of regular practice, decreased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, and normalization of components of the metabolic syndrome (including systolic blood pressure and insulin resistance). Read more about the health benefits of TM.
Happier Nurses, Healthier Patients
Researchers based at Sarasota Memorial Hospital found clear statistical evidence that the TM technique can increase resilience and compassion satisfaction among nurses while decreasing burnout and secondary traumatic stress. The results of this study were published in 2019 in the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development andpresented at conferences including the ANCC Magnet, the Florida Association of Nurse Executives, and the American Holistic Nurses Association.
The ANA’s Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation Campaign
TM for Nurses is proud to be partners with the American Nurses Association and the Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation campaign to bring about healthy changes in the nursing community. The Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation campaign encourages you to put your health first by concentrating on a holistic approach to wellness. The Transcendental Meditation technique should be a key component of that approach.
Published research studies on the benefits of the TM program for nurses has been conducted at:
Augsburg College of Nursing, MN
- Graduate Nurses Experience the Sacred During Transcendental Meditation®. International Journal for Human Caring: 2017, Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 163-171.
- Practicing transcendence in meditation speeds nurses’ evolutionary development: Shining the light of “consciousness” through the lens of Unitary Human Caring Science. Visions: The Journal of Rogerian Nursing Science, 2021, 26(4), 1-27
Sarasota Memorial Hospital Pilot Study, FL
- Transcendental Meditation Reduces Compassion Fatigue and Improves Resilience for Nurses. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development: March/April 2019, vol 35, issue 2.
Endorsements from Nurses
“Since learning TM, I’ve noticed that I am focused and calm during emergencies and am able to resume work without residual stress. TM has improved my memory and learning ability and enabled me to succeed as a mother, PhD student, trauma nurse, and researcher.”
Jacqueline Lopez Gregory
PhD-C, MSN, RN, FPN
“I learned TM last year and it has enhanced my life. My energy & creativity is higher. I also feel a steady state of calm. It’s the most rewarding self-care habit I have learned!”
Barb Ferrari
RN, Personal Trainer
“TM has provided a sense of calm and allowed me to focus, prioritize, create time for myself, feel less stressed and overwhelmed, and be more patient—somehow increasing the time I have to accomplish what I need and want.”
Christy Schmerer
RN
