Effects of Rosary Count Meditation Practice on Stress, Heart Rate, Respiration Rate and Blood Pressure of Nursing Students at the First Experience on Hospital Ward - ผลการฝึกสมาธิโดยการนับลูกประคำต่อความเครียด อัตราการเต้นของหัวใจ อัตราการหายใจและความดันโลหิต ของนักศึกษาพยาบาลศาสตร์ ที่ขึ้นฝึกประสบการณ์บนหอผู้ป่วยในครั้งแรก

Abstract

       This quasi-experimental study aims to study the effects of rosary count meditation practice on stress score, heart rate, respiration rate and blood pressure of nursing student practice in the first experience on a hospital ward. Six students were recruited and studied in September 2011. All the subjects were interviewed, then measured blood pressure and heart rate; and assessed the level of stress before starting the experiment by using a set of questionnaire developed by Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health. The subjects practiced rosary count meditation according to experts’ advice for fifteen minutes, then their blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate and stress were measured immediately after the session. The same process was repeated daily in the morning before work for 4 weeks except Saturday and Sunday. Data were recorded and analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. It was found that the stress of nursing students was at low level; (2) the stress score after rosary count meditation practice was significantly lower than before the practice; (3) The average of pulse rate at the week 1, 2 and 3 of the rosary count meditation practice was significantly lower than before practice; (4) the average of respiration rate and systolic pressure at the week 2, 3 and 4 of the rosary count meditation practice was significantly lower than before the practice, and no different at the week 1; and (5) The average of diastolic pressure at the week 3 and 4 of the rosary count meditation practice was significantly lower than before the practice but no difference at week 1. The author concluded that the rosary count meditation could be an option for stress reduction. Regular practice would improve physical and mental health, and hence improve the efficiency of work.
Key words: rosary count meditation practice, nursing student, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure