Development and Implementation of a Brief Healthcare Professional Support Program Based in Gratitude, Mindfulness, Self-compassion, and Empathy.

Abstract

To highlight the development, implementation, and initial findings of a brief healthcare professional support program called "GRACE." Healthcare professionals face significant work-related stressors that when left unmanaged can negatively affect their overall well-being and contribute to burnout. Over a 2-year period, the GRACE program was delivered to 8 clinical units at a midsized southwestern hospital. Questionnaires were administered at baseline and 1 month. Program participants were 36 years old on average, female (81%), and White (68%) and mostly employed as nurses (66%). Attendees reported increased knowledge, understanding, and confidence and found the program to be acceptable. One month after training, participants demonstrated significant improvements in self-compassion. Medical units that received GRACE training saw significantly greater increases in patient satisfaction scores compared with units that did not receive training. The GRACE program was feasible and acceptable to deliver, and initial proof-of-concept evidence was supported.