Effectiveness of the Mindful Compassion Care Program for Healthcare Professionals in Oncology and Palliative Care

Effectiveness of the Mindful Compassion Care Program for Healthcare Professionals in Oncology and Palliative Care: a Randomized Controlled Trial With a Qualitative Component

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mindful Compassion Care Program (MCCP), a mindfulness- and compassion-based intervention designed to enhance the emotional and professional well-being of healthcare professionals (HPs). The study adopts a multi-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group, superiority design and includes HPs (physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants) involved in the clinical care of cancer patients across different settings and disease phases. Eligible participants must not have attended MBSR or other mindfulness-/compassion-based interventions in the preceding six months.

The RCT has a primary objective of assessing the MCCP's effectiveness in increasing positive emotions and reducing negative emotions among HPs working in oncology and palliative care. Secondary objectives include evaluating improvements in professional quality of life and self-compassion. After providing informed consent, HPs will be randomized to receive either the MCCP (experimental group) or no intervention (control group).

The study includes an embedded qualitative component designed to explore the acceptability and perceived value of the MCCP from the perspective of healthcare professionals who received the intervention. Qualitative data will be collected through focus groups conducted with a purposive sub-sample of RCT participants. Participation in the focus groups will be voluntary. This purposive sampling strategy is appropriate as it allows the inclusion of individuals capable of providing rich, relevant, and diverse insights into their experiences with the MCCP and its perceived impact.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a healthcare professional (physicians, nurses, or nursing assistants) involved in the clinical management of cancer patients across different care settings and illness phases.
• Age ≥ 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• HPs must not have attended MBSR or other mindfulness/compassion-based interventions, including in educational or clinical settings, involving activities similar to those in the present study in the previous six months.