Name: Hyrum Hopkin, MS2, Wyoming
Title: Improving Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health in a Wyoming Community
Background: “The Rural and Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP) gives the unique opportunity of coming to a town and meeting with the people and learning about the distinctive challenges they face. The challenge I chose to address in one community was mental health among healthcare workers.”
“Wyoming has one of the largest proportions of their population living in mental health shortage areas. Among those that are most vulnerable to mental health concerns are healthcare workers. Healthcare workers experience increased levels of stress that negatively impacts mental health. Some of the attributing factors to increased stress include large workloads, long shifts, and difficult patients. As I worked with a physician, I realized the concern for the mental health of the workers at the hospital was among the chief concerns for the town.”
Research and its results: “After reviewing research on how to improve mental health within the workplace, I decided to take the approach of implementing mindfulness-based stress reduction. Research has shown that by allowing healthcare workers to take self-determined breaks during the workday has the ability to reduce stress levels in those workers. The idea to implement mindfulness-based stress reduction was done by giving employees a self-determined, paid, 25-min work break. During their work break they can engage in yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction.”
The results: “As the study is still in progress, we are waiting to see the results. Although it is still being implemented, we are optimistic that the results will show improved mental health in those that participated in the intervention. We hope that the study will prove it provides healthcare workers with the tools and techniques needed to manage stress, enhance resilience, and improve their overall well-being.”
Reflections: “Reflecting on the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction has helped me see the potential it has to extend beyond individual healthcare workers and aid in promoting a culture of well-being and empathy within the healthcare industry. As healthcare workers are given the attention and tools necessary to address their own mental health, it will enable them to better serve their patients.”
“This project has reinforced the idea that we must invest in mental health awareness, education, and support to create a world more accepting of individual’s needs.”