RESEARCH
Impact of Nurses Taking Daily Work Breaks in a Hospital Garden on Burnout
Spending daily work breaks in an outdoor garden may help reduce burnout for nurses working in hospitals. The results suggest that outdoor breaks could be an effective way for nurses to manage stress and emotional exhaustion on the job.
Program Types: Therapeutic
Setting or Context: Workplace Environments
Allied Profession Intersections: Landscape Design
Access: Paid
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Summary
This research studied hospital nurses and explored whether taking breaks in an outdoor garden could help prevent burnout. The researchers had nurses rate their feelings—such as exhaustion and stress—before and after spending their breaks in either indoor or outdoor locations, and compared the results to see if being in nature made a difference.
The study found that nurses who took their breaks in an outdoor garden tended to experience less burnout, meaning they felt less emotionally worn out from their work. Although more research is needed, the findings suggest that getting outside and spending time in a calming, green space during the workday might be a simple way to help nurses feel better and cope with job stress.
