Study: Mindfulness program decreases burnout in healthcare workers

A mindfulness program for healthcare workers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has decreased burnout and significantly increased resilience and work engagement, a recent research article found.

Burnout is one of the top challenges facing clinicians and other healthcare workers nationwide. In a report published in September 2020 by The Physicians Foundation, 30% of more than 2,300 physicians surveyed cited feelings of hopelessness or having no purpose due to changes in their practices related to the coronavirus pandemic. Research published in September 2018 indicates that nearly half of physicians across the country were experiencing burnout symptoms.

The recent research article, which was published by Global Advances in Health and Medicine, highlights the impact of the Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. "Mindfulness is described as a nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness with non-reactivity to introspective perceptions," the study's co-authors wrote.

The study includes three key data points:

• As measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory, there was a 27% reduction in MIM participants meeting burnout criteria.
• As measured by the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, which rates resiliency on a scale from 0 to 40, there was a significant increase in resilience. After participating in MIM, mean resilience scores rose from about 29.2 to about 31.6.
• As measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, which rates work engagement on a scale from 0 to 6, there was a significant increase in work engagement. After participating in MIM, mean work engagement scores rose from about 3.9 to 4.3.

"Not only does mindfulness programming improve burnout, perceived stress, resilience, and work engagement, but it is also associated with a host of positive physical health outcomes, quality of life variables, and sustained mental health benefits," the co-authors of the study wrote.

Source: HealthLeaders