Mindfulness Fosters Professional Quality of Life and Mindful Attention among Emergency Medical Technicians
Healthcare workers often are exposed to psychologically intense and physically exhausting stimuli during their work that can have both acute and chronic effects. Emergency medical service (EMS) providers may be particularly vulnerable due to the intensity of their work and exposure to death, loss, and suffering. A team from the University of Virginia, including instructors from the Mindfulness Center, conducted a study of the impact of the eight week Mindfulness for Healthcare Providers course for EMS providers. Among the participants, there were statistically significant increases in compassion satisfaction, trait mindfulness, and decreases in burnout from the beginning to the end of the program. These changes were sustained at six months post-completion. Secondary trauma decreased over time but the change was not significant. Perceived stress decreased significantly at the end of the class, but returned to near baseline at 6 months. This study demonstrated that mindfulness training can improve professional quality of life among EMS providers who work in a high stress environment.
Ducar DM, at al. Explore https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2019.07.015 .
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