Certified nursing assistants' experiences with self-compassion training in the nursing home setting

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in nursing home (NH) settings experience considerable work-related and per-sonal stress. Self-compassion is a personal resource linked to improved stress coping and may be particularly rel-evant to health care workers. In this study, we explored NH CNA's experiences with self-compassion training based on their narrative replies. Twenty-two CNAs (100% female, mean age 48 years, 82% Black/African Ameri-can) from 3 mid-sized, non-profit NHs in the Southeast US completed either a standard 8-week, 20 h self-com-passion training or a 6-week, 6 h modified version designed for health care providers. Qualitative data analyses from post-training focus group discussions identified four themes pertaining to changes in: (1) stress manage-ment, (2) appreciation and support, (3) caregiver role, and (4) connection to others. Findings suggested self-com-passion training is feasible and beneficial for the stressors that CNAs experience. In the era of COVID-19 and beyond, self-compassion training is a promising method to improve CNAs' well-being. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.