Research Update

 Healthcare providers are under increasing stress and work-related burnout has become common. Mindfulness-based interventions have a potential role in decreasing stress and burnout. The purpose of this study was to determine if a mindfulness course could decrease burnout and improve mental wellbeing among healthcare providers from different professions.

This was a pre-post observational study involving a total of 93 healthcare providers, including physicians from multiple specialties, nurses, psychologists, and social workers who practiced in both university and community settings. The intervention was based on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Participants met for 2.5 hours a week for 8 weeks plus a 7-hour retreat. The classes included training in four types of formal mindfulness practices, including the body scan, mindful movement, walking meditation and sitting meditation, as well as discussions focusing on the application of mindfulness at work. The main outcome measures were work-related burnout as measured by the three scales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and self-perceived mental and physical well-being as measured by the SF-12v2.

Maslach Burnout Inventory scores improved significantly from before to after the course for both physicians and other healthcare providers for the Emotional Exhaustion (p < 0.03), Depersonalization (p < 0.04), and Personal Accomplishment (p < 0.001) scales. Mental well-being measured by the SF12v2 also improved significantly (p < 0.001). There were no significant changes in the SF12v2 physical health scores.