Sustained resiliency building and burnout reduction for healthcare professionals via organizational sponsored mindfulness programming

Abstract

PurposeTo measure healthcare professional (HCP) result sustainability following implementation of an organizationally sponsored Mindfulness Based Intervention (MBI), Mindfulness in Motion (MIM), in areas of burnout, perceived stress, resilience, and work engagement. MethodsA follow-up survey was sent via email to healthcare professionals (n = 220) who previously participated in the 8-week MIM intervention. Survey assessed burnout, perceived stress, resilience, work engagement, and included open-ended questions pertaining to barriers, facilitators, and sustained impact of practicing mindfulness after program end. ResultsAnalysis included 66 healthcare professionals with sustainability time frames ranging from 3 to 28 months from initial program finish. Average time since intervention end was 12.2 months. Based on 12.2 months sustained results post MIM, there were significant differences from pre-MIM to sustainability follow-up in burnout (*p = 0.0047), perceived stress (*p = 0.00001), and resilience (*p = 0.0004). Work engagement benefits were non-significant from pre-test to follow-up (p = 0.4008). There were no significant differences in results when comparing the length of time since participant was enrolled in the initial study. Additionally, analysis of the qualitative data revealed multiple subthemes relating to facilitators of sustained mindfulness, barriers to practicing mindfulness, and lasting impacts of the MIM intervention. ConclusionsFor Healthcare Professionals, the organizationally sponsored mindfulness intervention outcomes were sustained beyond the 8-weeks of the initial MIM intervention for all but one outcome variable. Post 8–week intervention end, participants were given the option of receiving weekly “Mindful Moment” emails and attending monthly mindfulness booster sessions. Organizational support may be a pivotal factor in sustaining positive results achieved via mindfulness programming.