Implementation of a Mindfulness Moment Initiative for Healthcare Professionals: Perceptions of Facilitators

Mindfulness practices in the workplace have experienced rapid growth, with initial evidence suggesting positive outcomes. Even so, little is known about implementing mindfulness-based interventions (MBI), especially internally driven programs led by volunteers rather than experts.

This study qualitatively explores volunteer facilitators' perceptions of a short-dose MBI (the mindfulness moment initiative) before and 6 weeks after implementation.

Mindfulness moments were 1-3-minute-guided periods of mindfulness led at the beginning of various staff meetings at an inner-city community medical center. Facilitators' perceptions were collected through thirty-one 30-minute semi-structured interviews before and after the MMI's first 6 weeks. Categorizing and connecting strategies were employed to explore the emergence of themes and patterns across responses.

Mindfulness moment facilitators interviewed before the intervention expected their groups to experience several intra- and interpersonal benefits. After implementation, they perceived all of these benefits to have occurred, but some benefits were mentioned more frequently before than after implementation and vice versa. Five of six expected obstacles were reported after implementation, with timing issues emerging as the most frequently mentioned theme. Facilitators believed that benefits outweighed obstacles. Our data also suggested that mindfulness moments may provide managers with an additional way to address moments of tension occurring between co-workers. Most facilitators intended to continue leading mindfulness moments and wished to expand the practice to new departments.

The mindfulness moment intervention may provide a way to bring mindfulness into organizations that is not dependent on formal training programs, a large time commitment, or a commitment to extended training. Prior knowledge of the obstacles and benefits found here may result in a more successful intervention.