Reflection is an important skill for nurses. Building on these reflective skills, mindfulness offers opportunities for personal development by increasing nurses’ awareness of sensory experiences, other people and their environment. Mindfulness is also an important element of self-care. This increased awareness can contribute to the nurse’s ability to make skills-based healthcare decisions and act in the ‘present moment’. The authors argue that these qualities are essential in developing the future nursing workforce, particularly given stressful challenges faced by the profession, for example increased work pressures at times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article discusses the evidence for, and benefits of, offering mindfulness programmes during nurse education and for the wider nursing profession.