Palliative care providers' experiences of mindfulness and resilience: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.
Wei-Ting Lai, Li-Yu Yang, Hsun-Kuei Ko, Hui-Chun Su, Li-Min Wu
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice July 21, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2025.102017 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Palliative care providers (three physicians, eight nurses, three psychologists, and a spiritual care provider) providing end-of-life care in hospitals across Taiwan |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction program breath awareness body scan meditation mindful walking |
| Topics | Meditation End-of-life distress |
| Keywords | Interview Palliative care Psychological resilience Qualitative research |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness fosters resilience in palliative care providers by integrating emotional, mental, and existential dimensions, serving as both an internal regulatory mechanism and a stabilizing force against external uncertainties. |
Abstract
Although mindfulness is widely acknowledged to foster resilience, limited research has examined how palliative care providers sustain this practice and how it shapes their resilience. This study explores how providers with sustained mindfulness practice, understand, and embody the cultivation of resilience across personal and professional domains. Fifteen palliative care providers (three physicians, eight nurses, three psychologists, and a spiritual care provider) who providing end-of-life care in hospitals across Taiwan were recruited. All practiced mindfulness regularly after completing a mindfulness-based stress reduction program, integrating techniques such as breath awareness, body scan meditation, or mindful walking into their daily and professional lives. Data from individual semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Smith and Nizza's interpretative phenomenological approach. Three group experiential themes were derived: discovering inner resilience through mindfulness, living mindfully as a way of life, and staying resilient in challenging environments. They illustrate how mindfulness fosters resilience by integrating emotional, mental, and existential dimensions. Mindfulness served as both an internal regulatory mechanism and a stabilizing force against external uncertainties, thereby fostering adaptability in challenging environments. These findings deepen our understanding of mindfulness as long-term resilience-building practice in palliative care. This study addresses the psychological challenges of palliative care providers in high-stress settings. The findings highlight how mindfulness fosters resilience by integrating self-awareness, emotional stability, and a reflective perspective into professional experiences. These insights extend beyond short-term stress relief, informing research and policies on healthcare provider well-being and sustaining palliative care practice.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on end-of-life distress, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the well-being of healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. General Psychiatry 2024
- Mindfulness and compassion training on daily work with patients and within the multiprofessional palliative care team: a retrospective self-assessment study BMC Palliative Care April 10, 2023
- Health Workers' Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Resilience During COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2024
- The Lived Experiences of Palliative Care Professionals in Cultivating Mindfulness: A Phenomenological Study Journal of Holistic Nursing May 8, 2024
- Understanding The Process of Taoistic-Informed Mindfulness from a Meadian Perspective. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science September 2024
and 6 more in the library