The Mindfulness Spectrum - Illuminating the Impacts and Reasons for Incorporating MBSR in a Healthcare Organization

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding on how healthcare workers, particularly caregivers of elderly and dementia patients, are impacted by a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training and to explore the reasons a manager has for incorporating these types of trainings. Within the scope of this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with nine caregivers, three administrative staff members and the manager at an elderly home in the city of Lund. What we found throughout our journey was that each caregiver had a different understanding of mindfulness and their own ways of coping with stress. Also, the experiences workers had ranged widely in their professional and personal lives. What is more, MBSR did not only reduce stress, as the name suggests, but created many other impacts. Due to the resulting spectrum of views, perceptions and understandings on the concept of mindfulness and its impacts, we use the metaphor of the Mindfulness Spectrum. Since stress is a rising concern for healthcare organizations, this study will be of great interest for managers who consider incorporating mindfulness as a stress-reduction tool.