I am proud to share that our pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) has just been published. This study focuses on an intervention I conducted – together with Luca Bodini – with nurses in the COVID-19 wards at the University Hospital of Verona—the epicenter of the pandemic in Italy and, for a time, Europe.
I initially developed the Mindful Compassion Care Program (MCCP) in 2019, originating from my work with the University of Florence and the Oncology Department of Florence. Since its inception, the protocol has undergone a series of validation studies.
It began with a non-randomized trial on nursing students. It evolved through various case studies involving oncology nurses and physicians. Loredana Buonaccorso and her team are currently launching a confirmatory multicenter randomized controlled trial targeting healthcare professionals in oncology and palliative care.
MCCP integrates Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) with Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). The rationale behind the protocol is straightforward yet vital: burnout is not merely the result of exhaustion. It stems from an imbalance between the compassion shown to the patient and the compassion the healthcare professional directs toward themselves and receives from their team.
The new trial: https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053261433480
The original study: https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/str0000126
