A Mindfulness Course Can Improve Professional Quality of Life among Emergency Medical Service Providers
Emergency medical service (EMS) providers are regularly exposed to intense stimuli in their work that can cause distress and emotional suffering. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a Mindfulness for Healthcare Providers course on distress and wellbeing among EMS providers. The course met for 2 ½ hours a week for eight weeks. Fifteen veteran EMS providers enrolled in the course and 11 completed it. Perceived stress, professional quality of life, and trait mindfulness were assessed prior to and after the intervention. The professional quality of life scale includes measures of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary trauma. After the intervention, EMS providers had statistically significant increases in compassion satisfaction, trait mindfulness, and decreases in burnout compared to the beginning of the program. These changes were sustained at six months post-completion. No significant changes over time were found for secondary trauma or perceived stress. The results of this study demonstrate that a Mindfulness for Healthcare Providers course can improve professional quality of life among EMS providers, and that these changes can persist for at least six-months.
Ducar DM, Penberthy JK, Schorling JB, Leavell VA, Calland JF. Explore 2020;16:61-68.
Filed Under: News and Notes