Mindfulness in the Moment: A Five-Minute Meditation to Reduce COVID-19 Vaccination–Related Anxiety in Patients With Cancer

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a common psychosocial concern in people with cancer that was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness-based interventions can reduce anxiety; brief, scalable strategies are needed for clinical integration. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess anxiety in patients with cancer during COVID-19 vaccination and to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief meditation intervention self-administered during the postvaccination waiting period. METHODS: A DNP-PhD team conducted a quasiexperimental study with 256 adult patients assigned to intervention or control groups based on clinic flow. The intervention group received a five-minute guided meditation via personal mobile devices, and anxiety was measured pre- and postvaccination. FINDINGS: Some participants (14%) reported moderate to severe anxiety. The intervention group experienced significantly greater reductions in acute anxiety. The intervention reduced anxiety and can be implemented by oncology nurses to support emotional well-being in outpatient cancer care settings.