Is Pandemic Fatigue the “New Normal”?

Abstract

Stress in the healthcare arena is becoming more and more of a concern in 2022 as staffing shortages continue to spiral out of control. These shortages can usually be linked to high levels of stress that can lead to burnout. Health care workers must be able to find moments of separation from the emotions that bombard them.   I examined the effects of smartphone-based meditation on perceived stress for healthcare workers for a month, as most of the students I work with are nurse aides.  The results reported by those who participated seemed to indicate a reduction of stress as a result of using the meditation app. However, the majority of the class did not use the app, nor respond to the survey indicating that it was just too much to add to an already busy day.