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Ethics and Teaching Mindfulness to Physicians and Health Care Professionals

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Practitioner's Guide to Ethics and Mindfulness-Based Interventions

Part of the book series: Mindfulness in Behavioral Health ((MIBH))

Abstract

This chapter, Ethics and Teaching Mindfulness to Physicians and Health care Professionals, explores the healing potential of the medical professional–patient relationship that can be realized when approaching the suffering dimension in health care with mindful attention and awareness. We will examine, through the lens of personal narratives and professional reflections, the need for a greater sense of belonging and mentorship among health professionals within the dynamic of a changing and challenging health care system, where more than 50% of health care professionals experience varying degrees of burnout, a problem that has been demonstrated to contribute to poorer quality of care and caring. The ethical imperative to address burnout and build resilience among medical professionals includes intimately examining the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and systemic challenges within the clinical dynamic. This chapter will also explore the ethical challenges for students and medical professionals in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education, including the deleterious effects of the hidden curriculum and the salutary effects of mindfulness-based approaches. Drs. Michael Krasner and Patricia Lück offer their personal perspectives including their own individual stories of coming to teaching mindfulness approaches in medical education, their roles in the development of a novel mindfulness-based intervention called Mindful Practice, and how Mindful Practice is finding its way into medical professional education, supporting the growth of a healthier medical community, mentorship, resilience, and compassionate action through the use of mindfulness, narrative medicine, and appreciative inquiry.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Olsan Medical Group, 2400 South Clinton Avenue H230, Rochester, NY, 14618, USA

    Michael Krasner MD & Patricia Lück MD, MA

Authors
  1. Michael Krasner MD
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  2. Patricia Lück MD, MA
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Krasner MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Lynette M. Monteiro

  2. University of Washington, Tacoma, Washington, USA

    Jane F. Compson

  3. Ottawa Mindfulness Clinic, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Frank Musten

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Krasner, M., Lück, P. (2017). Ethics and Teaching Mindfulness to Physicians and Health Care Professionals. In: Monteiro, L., Compson, J., Musten, F. (eds) Practitioner's Guide to Ethics and Mindfulness-Based Interventions . Mindfulness in Behavioral Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64924-5_5

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