How Mandating 15 Minute Breaks Decreases Stress and Anxiety for Intraoperative Nurses

Perioperative nurses who are responsible for the care and treatment of operating room patients are more likely to experience anxiety and stress. It has been found that 70.3% of nurses are in a state of job stress caused by emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, which has a negative effect on workplace efficiency. Implementing microbreaks was seen to be beneficial to the surgical team, allowing time to stretch, reduce fatigue, and decrease discomfort. Multiple studies have found that taking breaks during shifts, provided perioperative nurses with a mental rest to decrease stress.