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The opportunity to work in the health care sector is one of the most rewarding professions an individual could belong to. However, when hospitals and clinics have limited resources there is a massive strain on staff. We have a global shortage of health care workers.
Like you I often found myself stretched and pulled in many directions. When conditions deteriorated my capacity to think was strained, it was harder to find solutions, and my inspiration was squeezed. Reassuringly, I was not alone. All my colleagues described themselves the same way I did. We were tired.
How could we create the space we needed to rejuvenate ?
Mindfulness was my answer.
Creating a daily flexible mindfulness practice allowed me to declutter my mind and be present without judgement. I became less concerned about how I expected and thought situations should be. Instead, I started applying my knowledge and skills to do the best with what I had.
I minimised the time I spent focusing on the frustrating things I could not change. Instead during my mindfulness practices I leaned in to the world I wanted to create and live in. I found my curiosity and joy rise. The more I invested in my self care, the better I could care for others.
One day at a mindfulness event organised by "Mindfulness after Cam" my fellow Alumni Harriet asked me if I had considered combining my knowledge and experience as someone who practiced and taught mindfulness with my "insider" understanding of the medical profession. A flame sparked and I embarked on a new journey.
First I ran a session for students and alumni ( a joint event between the mindfulness society and the medical society at The University of Cambridge.) Then a work shop for house officers, and sessions within my own hospital for the medical team. I have just completed a work shop at a national pharmacists meeting. My chief medical officer encourages me in my pursuit of providing solutions for sustainability in medicine. I thank him deeply for his mentoring and support as my "Mindfulness in medicine" work grows while I continue to care for patients.
What I teach continues to evolve as I learn and grow with you. The content evolves to meet our needs.
The practice of medicine today is multidisciplinary. We all belong in teams. When fatigue creeps in team dynamics and performance are vulnerable. Mindfulness allows us to be more aware of ourselves and our interactions with others. It allows a more reflective and respectful interaction even under pressure. It creates space for us to listen and observe.
Mindfulness based practices range from a few seconds to several hours. A quick reset in a stressful situation could greatly benefit the recipients of care and staff wellness.
The fight flight response has its place in our lives. However, a chronic level of stress due to the uncertainty, unpredictability, and rising cost of living adds a new level of wear and tear.
Learning to consciously switch from a back ground level of stress to a more relaxed physiology with tools such as body scan and breath work reduces the strain on our physiology. We can be less tired at the end of a shift.
Practising mindfulness based exercises as a team can be a powerful way of creating cohesion. In this course there are guided exercises which you can play on your smart phone at the start of a hand over, a shift, a clinic, or an operating list. Practicing together allows team members to support each other in their growth.
Mindfulness can also improve communication. As my own mindfulness practice matured so did my words. Most significantly it improved my ability to listen. Often times in medicine people do not feel heard or valued. Feed back tends to be when something goes wrong. We take it for granted when we get it right. Perhaps this should change. Noting the things we do well and showing appreciation is a great way to improve the well being of health care workers.
Mindfulness is also invaluable when it comes to decision making and prioritising. When under pressure it is more likely that our power of critical thinking is compromised. Mindfulness helps us become aware of our own biases, insecurities, and fears. Once aware we can choose more wisely. We can learn from our successes and our failures.
