Influence of Self-Compassion on the Health of Midwives and Nurses: Protocol for a Scoping Review (Preprint)

Abstract

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p>It is recognised that having self-compassion can have a positive effect upon a person’s health and well-being. However, the influence of self-compassion upon nurses and midwives’ health and wellbeing is less well recognised. Nurses and midwives often work in highly demanding environments and situations and are exposed to multiple work-base stressors simultaneously. Stressors such as, workload, high acuity, missing breaks, working more than their contracted hours, insufficient resources and staff, poor patient outcomes, can lead to nurses and midwives feeling mentally exhausted and at increased risk of poor mental health. Self-compassion may act as a protective factor and assist nurses and midwives to remain mentally healthy.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> <p>This review will provide an overview of the evidence-base relating to the influence of self-compassion upon nurses and midwives’ mental health status.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> <p>The purpose of a scoping review is to comprehensively and systematically review the literature and identify key evidence, or gaps in the literature. The search strategy for this protocol will include electronic databases including Medline, Embase, Emcare, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, Scopus. Grey literature sources will be also searched including Internet search engines (Google and Google Scholar), ProQuest Theses/Dissertations, Web of Science and include hand searched key journals and reference lists of relevant articles. This scoping review will be undertaken in seven stages: (1) identifying the research questions, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting the studies, (4) charting the data, (5) collating, summarizing and reporting the results, (6) consulting and (7) dissemination of knowledge. Data will be abstracted and presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist and explanation by three independent researchers.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> <p>Preliminary searches conducted in Medline, Embase and PsycInfo retrieved 194, 221 and 154 results, respectively. Completion of review is expected in September 2020.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> <p>To our knowledge this will be the first scoping review of evidence-based literature relating to the influence of self-compassion on nurses and midwives. It is anticipated that this analysis of literature will contribute to understanding how nurses and midwives may use self-compassion in a proactive way to reduce work-base stressors such as burnout and compassion fatigue. Furthermore, the findings may inform educational needs and implications for clinical practice.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>CLINICALTRIAL</title> <p>-</p> </sec>