MHM Magazine

Issue 5 | 2021 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | 33 MHM Challenges faced by healthcare pro- fessionals (HCPs) can be detrimen- tal to both their psychological and physical health. Compared to other professions, HCPs are likely to ex- perience anxiety, depression, stress and burnout much more acutely. The healthcare demands present- ed by the Covid-19 pandemic have critically impacted the health and wellbeing of HCPs globally, in terms of workload and psychosocial stressors, and those n emergency departments are now at even great- er risk of stress and burnout. As mindfulness facilitators with an interest in compassionate self- care for healthcare professionals, we were initially approached by Professor Tanya Heyns of the Department of Nursing, University of Pretoria, to conduct a mindfulness intervention for the post-graduate students enrolled for the emergency nursing programme. The students expressed experiencing high levels of stress in balancing their studies and their work, home life and other commitments. Simultaneously in March 2020 the first cases of Covid-19 were diagnosed in South Africa. In response, hospitals and HCPs began gearing up for the expected trauma in the months ahead, altering the dynamics and demands of emergency healthcare overnight. This meant these students were experiencing vicarious trauma with onerous working hours whilst continuing their postgraduate studies. As part of her department’s response, Professor Heyns wanted the post-graduate nursing students to be compassionately held and supported and approached us as mindfulness facilitators to assist. We sensed the value a mindfulness-based self-care intervention could offer the students. A pilot study was developed to determine such an intervention’s efficacy for these students and other HCPs. We were also approached by Authors Sarah Foale - Corresponding author: sarah@sarahfoale.co.za Natalie Lombard Linda Kantor - Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town Tanya Heyns - Department of Nursing Science, University of Pretoria RESEARCH: A MINDFUL SELF-CARE INTERVENTION FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS DURING COVID-19… AND BEYOND