Burnout in Healthcare Workers

The purpose of this project is to determine if mindfulness-based interventions are effective at reducing burnout among healthcare workers. Burnout is a widespread problem that affects healthcare workers nationwide, and if it is not addressed, has the potential to affect patient outcomes. Despite this widespread issue, there are no standardized measures in place to support mental health or prevent burnout among our nation’s healthcare workers. Ten high-quality studies were reviewed and synthesized to demonstrate current understanding of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, and evidence suggests that this could be effective in reducing or preventing burnout. Using a quantitative design, employees at a local rehabilitation facility participated in a 5-minute mindful meditation session twice per week for four weeks. Burnout ratings were measured before and after the intervention period using the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory tool. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected. The findings from this project indicated that there is a need for mental health support and burnout intervention, and mindfulness-based interventions decreased burnout ratings among participants.