MHM Magazine

34 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | Issue 5 | 2021 MHM Professor Keymanthri Moodley of Stellenbosch University’s Tygerberg Hospital and Dr Naleena Vidhanandh Lutchminarain of General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital in Stanger KZN, to offer similar programmes to HCPs (not only nurses, but doctors and specialists) at these institutions. These students and HCPs also indicated they required support due to the impact of Covid-19 on their work environment and procedural dynamics. MINDFULNESS Mindfulness is an integrated mind-body approach that develops the capacity for present moment awareness through bringing inten- tional, non-judgmental awareness to both inner and outer experienc- es. Research over the past four decades has indicated the regular practice of mindfulness, including consciously turning attention to sensations, thoughts and emo- tions that arise in each moment, and approaching them with in- terest, acceptance, curiosity and kindness, may facilitate a shift in the experience of and response to stressful and difficult circum- stances. Research amongst HCPs suggests various forms of mindful- ness practice may be effective to reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, burnout and secondary trauma, and improving wellbeing, resilience, compassion and a sense of calm and ease. The field of mindfulness-based self-compassion highlights the therapeutic and transformational advantages of a regular practice of mindful selfcare, including specific practices supporting the inner experience of the practitioner as well changing how the practitioner engages with others in their environment. Self-compassion practices can increase not only compassion towards ourselves, but towards others. While relevant to everyone during Covid-19, it’s especially pertinent for frontline healthcare practitioners, in managing the challenges of work and the other demands of their lives. THE DIGITAL PLATFORM: WHATSAPP TM Before Covid-19, most mindful- ness-based group initiatives – in particular Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) pro- grammes – were facilitated in person. The country-wide man- datory lockdowns meant face-to- face support was not an option. With participating HCPs already stretched beyond capacity with very different working hours, we needed alternative implementation meth- ods. We identified the possibility of offering mindfulness intervention via a smartphone platform which would make the dissemination of information globally very efficient with research showing its success with mindfulness applications and training. Despite audience diversity and uncertainty around participant engagement and effective learning, evidence suggests value in the intersection of mindfulness and technology. In searching for studies focusing specifically on digital mindfulness- based self-care interventions for HCPs and/or nurses, we found no evidence on which to build our programme. With WhatsAppTM being such a widely used and versatile medium of communication, we considered it could be a useful platform for the initiative. Again, turning to the research, we found only one programme that used WhatsAppTM as its delivery platform, but then only for live, on- line sessions with participants. After careful consideration and discussion, the WhatsAppTM platform was selected as the most appropriate digital medium to use for the mindfulness-based pilot intervention for emergency post-graduate emergency nursing students at UP, as well as the two other pilot groups. One of the key advantages of WhatsAppTM is its accessiblility and if participants have access to free wifi, no additional cost. Also practices and other material can be downloaded accessing free wifi and then used when they have time. This means practices and other material can be used in participants’ own time, without committing to specific timeslots, when a live on-line programme was offered. WhatsAppTM allows for both audio and video practices, as well as written material and visuals, and messaging, with unlimited group size. Sending a “direct message” means participants can privately message facilitators to discuss further, or if they’re experiencing difficulties. This makes it easy to include a psychologist on the platform for additional support where needed. THE INTERVENTION In keeping with the attitudinal qualities of mindfulness as out- lined by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn in his seminal book “Full Catastrophe Living”, which describes his Mind- fulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), the intervention runs over six weeks with an attitudinal quality of mindfulness forming the overarching theme each week. All mindfulness practices, including the movement elements, were ground- ed in current research relating to what’s most supportive for health care workers. The practices were directed towards compassionate self-care and the themes were 1) beginner’s mind, 2) non-striving, 3) patience, 4) trust, 5) non-judge- ment, and 6) loving-kindness and compassion. Each week offered of a range of mindfulness practic-