Expectations and experiences of practising veterinarians throughout an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Veterinary professionals face significant workplace stress.
• Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly explored for stress management in high-pressure occupations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate veterinarians' expectations, barriers, experiences, and long-term engagement with a mindfulness training program.
• To assess the perceived value of mindfulness practices versus group support for veterinarian wellbeing.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative longitudinal study involving 10 companion animal veterinarians.
• Data collected via structured interviews pre-program, post-program, and at 3-month follow-up.
• Thematic analysis used to identify key patterns in participant experiences.

Main Results:

• Veterinarians had unclear expectations pre-program, with time constraints and self-disclosure concerns being primary barriers.
• Facilitated group sharing was valued more than mindfulness techniques upon program completion.
• Few veterinarians maintained mindfulness practice at 3-month follow-up, despite learning stress-management techniques.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training offers potential benefits for veterinarian wellbeing and stress management.
• Facilitated peer support emerged as a critical component, potentially more impactful than the mindfulness techniques alone.
• Further research is needed to enhance long-term adherence to mindfulness practices in this population.