As patient numbers and the demands on healthcare professionals have risen, the term patient care has become somewhat of an oxymoron. Healthcare professionals often feel forced to rush through patient lists and tick boxes for medical aid schemes and very seldom get to practice the kind of quality patient care that they envisioned when they began their careers.
Considering that burnout is described as emotional or physical exhaustion caused by work conditions that do not allow healthcare providers to fulfill their values at work and is most often associated with work conditions that are typified by poor resources and long hours leading to a sense of reduced agency and an inability to provide quality care. It is hardly surprising; that over 50% of healthcare professionals report some degree of burnout.
The emergence of mindfulness practice however, has been shown to help healthcare providers to better cope with these demands and it opens up a way of practicing healthcare which not only leaves them feeling more fulfilled, but also creates a space for quality interactions with patients. We have paid lip-service to the concept of patient-centred care for years, and mindfulness creates the space to really embrace this approach so that patients can benefit from being cared for in a way that is warm, open, respectful and comprehensive.
How does mindfulness promote patient-centred care?
The qualities of mindfulness are attention, intention and attitude.
Our intention is the answer to why we do anything. As John Kabat-Zinn explains: “Your intentions set the stage for what is possible. They remind you from moment to moment why you are practicing.” Rather than being fixed, intention is dynamic and shifts and evolves as we continue to practice.
Mindful attention is a focus on the experience of the moment without the distraction of the interpretations of the experience. It is about being aware of and accepting what is. This does not mean that we do not or cannot change what is distressing or unpleasant, it just means that we accept it for what is in this moment before we set the intention to initiate change.
Attitude refers to how we attend. In mindfulness, we hold an attitude of open, patient, non-striving, non-judgmental curiosity.
As we practice mindfulness, we become more attuned to our intention to care for our patients in a way that is aligned with our values. We are more attentive and present with our patients and we hold an attitude of curiosity and compassion. Mindfulness has the added benefit of bringing us a greater sense of resilience, because we are also more attentive to our own needs and more compassionate with ourselves. So, in essence, mindfulness makes us more present, more compassionate and more resilient practitioners.
