The use of mHealth apps to improve hospital nurses' mental health and well‐being: A systematic review

Cynthia Moore · Stephanie A. Kelly · Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk

19 citations0/0 files storedWorldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing

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Digital Mental Health Interventions Mobile Health and mHealth Applications Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nursing well-being has become a heightened focus since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses are leaving the profession early in their careers or retiring sooner than expected. Those who remain in the workforce report higher levels of burnout, anxiety, depression, and exhaustion. There is concern that there may be a shortage of at least half a million nurses by 2030. AIMS: This systematic review aimed to investigate the evidence of using a mental health promotion mHealth app to improve the mental health of hospital nurses. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE with Full Text, Professional Development Collection, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Sociological Collection, PsycInfo, Embase, and PubMed with search dates of January 2012-November 15, 2022. The mHealth intervention needed to be asynchronously delivered through a smartphone with hospital nurse participants to be included in this review. RESULTS: Of the 157 articles screened for this review, six were included. Primary outcome variables were anxiety, burnout, coping, depression, self-efficacy, stress, well-being, and work engagement. Intervention types included mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), stress inoculation therapy (SIT), psychoeducation, and stress management. Anxiety, depression, well-being, and burnout improved with MBIs; depression improved with CBT; and anxiety and active coping improved with SIT. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: This review demonstrated promising findings in using mHealth apps to improve the mental health of hospital nurses. However, more randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes may reveal which type of mHealth app and how much exposure to the intervention is more effective in improving specific mental health symptoms. Longitudinal follow-up is also recommended to study sustainability of the mental health improvements.

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References

2021PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews 2020Chapter 7: Systematic reviews of etiology and risk 2017The efficacy of smartphone‐based mental health interventions for depressive symptoms: a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials 2018Beyond the Trial: Systematic Review of Real-World Uptake and Engagement With Digital Self-Help Interventions for Depression, Low Mood, or Anxiety 2016PSYCHOTHERAPY VERSUS PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: SYSTEMIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSES TO DETERMINE FIRST-LINE TREATMENTS 2014Putting the ‘app’ in Happiness: A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-Based Mindfulness Intervention to Enhance Wellbeing 2018Mobile Mindfulness Meditation: a Randomised Controlled Trial of the Effect of Two Popular Apps on Mental Health 2020Mobile Apps for Mental Health Issues: Meta-Review of Meta-Analyses

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2026Mobile apps, AI, and teletherapy: a comprehensive review of digital mental health tools for nurses

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