A randomised control trial to evaluate the Mindful Practice program for reducing burnout and stress of healthcare workers

ISRCTN ISRCTN11550545
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN11550545
Secondary identifying numbers MP210
Submission date
11/03/2018
Registration date
19/04/2018
Last edited
04/04/2018
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Doctors and nurses report having high burnout. It can not only damage their own well-being, but also quality of patient care and teamwork in providing the healthcare services. A recent study confirmed that a mindfulness-based intervention program developed in the United States, called Mindful Practice (MP), was useful to reduce burnout of healthcare workers in Hong Kong (HK). This lead to a localized MP program being developed in Chinese.
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Chinese MP program to reduce burnout, perceived stress and number of sick leave days, improve job engagement, quality of life, well-being and interpersonal communication skills of healthcare workers in Hong Kong.

Who can participate?
Adult hospital staff experiencing burnout or perceived stress

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Those in the first group receive an eight week Mindful Practice program, with a total of 27 contact hours. Participants are also encouraged to complete home-based mindful exercise or stretching each day as well as apply mindfulness at work. Participants are assessed using different inventories and scales before and after the program and after three months.
Those in the second group are invited to undertake the program after the first group have finished follow up.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from a reduction in burnout and perceived stress, improving quality of life. There are no direct risks for participants.

Where is the study run from?
Oasis- Center for Personal Growth and Crisis Intervention (Hong Kong)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2014 – August 2017

Who is funding the study?
Oasis - Center for Personal Growth and Crisis Intervention (Hong Kong)

Who is the main contact?
Ms Wacy Wai Sze Lui (Scientific)

Contact information

Ms Wacy Wai Sze Lui
Scientific

Oasis 1/F Centre for Health Protection
147 C Argyle Street
Hong Kong
000
Hong Kong

Study information

Study designRandomised single centre waitlist controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format
Scientific titleRCT on Mindful Practice to alleviate burnout and perceived stress of health care workers
Study objectivesMindful practice (MP) can alleviate burnout and perceived stress. It can also improve job engagement, quality of life, wellbeing, interpersonal communication and number of sick leave days.
Ethics approval(s)Hospital Authority Hong Kong Kowloon East/Kowloon Central Cluster Research Ethics Committee, 25/08/2014, ref: LC/KE-14-0-0160/ER-2
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedBurnout and perceived stress
InterventionAll enrolled participants are invited to fill in the screening tools on burnout and perceived stress to assess their eligibility for the program. Those with burnout or perceived stress are then randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups, using the computer-generated procedures. Participants are informed of the assignment by the executive assistant and they are blinded of the research hypothesis.

All participants (both experimental and control groups) attend briefing sessions. Then, the participants of the experimental groups first join the 8-week manual Mindful Practice (MP) intervention (total 27 contact hours). Apart from the class-based learning, participants of the experimental groups are invited to do home practice during the program, which involves around 1 hour of formal mindful exercise or stretching per day, as well as application of mindfulness at work.
Participants in the control group do not undertake this program during this time, but upon completion of 3-month follow-up, participants in the waitlist control groups are also invited to join the MP program.
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measureBurnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) is measured using the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory pre-intervention, post-intervention and at 3 month follow up.
Secondary outcome measures1. Stress is measured using the Perceived Stress Scale
2. Work engagement is measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES)
3. Health status is assessed using the Short term Health Survey (SF-12)
4. Current mental wellbeing is assessed using the World Health Organization Well-being Index
5. Communication competency is measured using the Interpersonal Communication Assessment Scale (ICAS)
All outcomes are assessed pre-intervention, post-intervention and at 3 month follow up.
Overall study start date01/01/2014
Completion date01/08/2017

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Health professional
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
Upper age limit65 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants114
Key inclusion criteria1. Existing staff of Hospital Authority
2. Aged 18-65 years
3. Report having burnout or perceived stress
4. Committed to attend all MP classes and have mindful practice an hour a day between classes
5. No previous mindfulness experience
Key exclusion criteria1. No burnout or perceived stress
2. Not able to attend both treatment and control groups for randomization
3. Currently havepsychosis, substance abuse, active suicidal ideation and plan
4. Receiving any active psychological and psychiatric treatment
Date of first enrolment01/09/2014
Date of final enrolment01/01/2017

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Hong Kong

Study participating centre

Oasis Center for Personal Growth and Crisis Intervention
Hospital Authority Hong Kong
000
Hong Kong

Sponsor information

Oasis - Center for Personal Growth and Crisis Intervention
Hospital/treatment centre

Oasis 1/F Centre for Heath Protection
Hospital Authority Hong Kong
Hong Kong
000
Hong Kong

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

Oasis - Center for Personal Growth and Crisis Intervention

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date01/10/2018
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer reviewed journal.
IPD sharing planThe data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date