Mindfulness in healthcare professionals and medical education
Jacek Chmielewski, Kacper Łoś, Włodzimierz Łuczyński
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health January 22, 2021 DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01542 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthcare professionals and medical students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Medical education Healthcare Medical students Nurses Doctorss |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training has a beneficial effect on stress, depression, burnout, well-being, and empathy among doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. |
Abstract
Healthcare professionals are exposed not only to the ubiquitous stress, but also to the culture of perfectionism. Therefore, they need tools to achieve a balance between work and rest in order to effectively help their patients. The study objective is a review of the literature on the implementation of mindfulness in healthcare professionals and medical students. The authors searched the literature in PubMed and Google Scholar databases for publications about “mindfulness” in “healthcare professionals” and “medical students.” The search included manuscripts published to July 31, 2019. Mindfulness is a process of intentional paying attention to experiencing the present moment with curiosity, openness and acceptance of each experience without judgment. Mindfulness training leads to a better mood perception, lower stress perception, and responding to stimuli more effectively. All these features can have a potentially positive effect on healthcare service. The paper describes methods of intervention as well as their effects, which may be useful both in maintaining the well-being of healthcare professionals and in patient care. Mindfulness meditation has a beneficial effect on stress, depression, burnout, well-being and empathy among doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. However, the method has a number of limitations, including a small number of participants, a high dropout rate in the intervention group and, above all, ceasing to practice mindfulness in the longer term after the course termination. Mindfulness can be widely implemented by healthcare professionals, thus improving their well-being and the quality of care they provide. Further standard scientific research is needed to confirm this impact. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(1):1–14
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 17
- A compassion-based program to reduce psychological distress in medical students: A pilot randomized clinical trial PLoS One June 23, 2023
- Experimental Mindfulness Intervention in an Emergency Department for Stress Management and Development of Positive Working Environment Healthcare March 17, 2023
- Shared meditation involving cancer patients, health professionals and third persons is relevant and improves well-being: IMPLIC pilot study BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies May 18, 2022
- Mindfulness as a Path to Freedom from Internet Addiction in Adolescents: A Narrative Review. Cureus October 1, 2024
- The impact of mindfulness training for nurses in lowering stress and enhancing well-being Salud, Ciencia y Tecnología August 1, 2023
and 12 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Holistic Nursing Practice November 1, 2004
- The Impact of an Innovative Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on the Health and Well-Being of Nurses Employed in a Corporate Setting Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health April 1, 2013
and 19 more in the library