Using a mindfulness-based intervention to support the resiliency of in-patient pediatric respiratory therapists

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Respiratory therapists (RTs) are care providers in highly stressful work environments with limited time and resources for self-care. Mindfulness-based interventions teach non-reactive awareness to the present situation or the ability to respond versus react in the moment, to shift away from a physical and emotional stress response. METHODS: Mindfulness-based group learning was offered during 2 regularly scheduled RT staff meetings for ∼30 min each session. Each meeting began and concluded with a distress assessment and with counting and recording respirations for 30 s. RESULTS: This quality-improvement project revealed mindfulness-based interventions to be feasible and acceptable. Mindfulness intervention reduced RT team members’ physical and emotional stress related symptoms (as measured by a 1-point median decrease in the self-administered distress assessment, with P =.001 in session 1) and increased sense of calm (as measured by participant breathing rate decrease by mean of two-points P =.001 in session 1 and session 2). CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness-based interventions were noted to be feasible and acceptable additions to RT staff meetings. These interventions have the potential to introduce breathing practices and mini mindfulness techniques.