Exploring effective learning sessions to enhance self-awareness and promote interest in self-care among medical professionals

Abstract

Background Self-awareness among medical professionals is becoming more important. However, it is difficult to practice self-awareness unless consciously. We held in-hospital learning sessions to enhance self-awareness and to support self-care of medical professionals. The session introduced mindfulness, meditation, and self-care from the perspectives of "psychological safety" and "end-of-life care." Objective To investigate the effects of sessions based on participants' reactions. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 128 medical professionals who participated in the sessions, and the free description was analyzed according to the qualitative coding procedure. Results As a result of analyzing the contents of 97 entries described in the free description of the questionnaire. Six categories were generated in the end: Stressful experience, Active practice of meditation, The need for self-care, Knowledge of mindfulness, Healing through narrative, Self-awareness through the learning session. Discussion Stressful experience about "psychological safety" and "end-of-life care" were narrated. We found that they are receptive to mindfulness, meditation, and self-care, and want to actively incorporate it. The experience of self-awareness was enhanced through the learning sessions. Introducing meditation, mindfulness, and self-care as methods of coping with specific stresses in clinical settings was effective in enhancing self-awareness among medical professionals.