Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Feasibility Pilot Study to Examine the Role of Mantra Meditation at Reducing Burn Out and Emotional Exhaustion in Emergency Department Staff
Brief Summary: Work in a healthcare setting, such as in an emergency department (ED), while rewarding, can be harmful to psychological well being, as demonstrated by the high numbers of Irish hospital doctors experiencing burnout. Burnout has been linked to poor healthcare quality, medical errors and low patient satisfaction. To prevent further escalation of this problem, there is a need for effective stress-reducing intervention, such as meditation. Meditation practice has a confirmed positive effect on well being; through greater insight and awareness, meditation could help ED staff to become more attentive to and understanding of their patients' complaints, enhancing patient satisfaction and safety. However, based on current research it is difficult to distinguish between the effects of meditation on well being and those associated with bringing people together. There is therefore a need for a larger randomised study (RCT) including a participants that receive no meditation intervention.

This pilot study aims to examine the suitability of RCT to assess the effect of mantra meditation on burnout among ED staff. The investigators will also examine participant recruitment and retention, data management and outcomes assessment methods for well being, patient satisfaction and biological markers. There will be two groups: intervention group (meditation) and control group (non-meditation). 30 ED staff placed in the intervention group will discuss prescribed texts and learn mantra meditation over a 7-week period, accompanied by 20 minutes of daily meditation practice. 30 ED staff placed in the control group will work in the ED as usual and not receive any texts. Biological samples and questionnaires will be obtained at three time points. Participant feedback will also be sought through interviews. This study will highlight issues related to participant recruitment, retention, and adherence, questionnaires, logistics, and data management and pave the way for an efficient, effective, and larger study that will investigate mantra meditation as a means of reducing burnout in ED staff.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

- All undergraduate students of Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki who have started their studies in year 2009 or after that.

Exclusion Criteria:

* The participants that can not participate fully to the intervention (self-evaluated).
* Participants who have severe mental problems (like anxiety or depression) when the study starts,
* Participants who have hade a great loss or trauma in near past, or some other mental or physical health problem that could make participation difficult.

This is evaluated based on how the participants answers to the base line questionnaire the following measures:

1. answers to the CORE-OM questionnaire and
2. answers to the questions where participants evaluate themselves their anxiety, depression, mental health.
3. If participant tell they have some other mental disorder, they are not accepted to the study.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* age 18 or older
* smokes at least five cigarettes daily for at least past 12 months
* wants to quit in next 30 days
* willing to be randomly assigned to either group
* resides in US
* has at least weekly access to a high speed Internet connection and email
* willing and able to read in English
* not participating in other smoking cessation interventions (including our other intervention studies
* has never used the Smokefree.gov website
* willing to complete all three follow-up surveys
* provide email, phone, and mailing address
* provide contact information for two collaterals (e.g., relatives).
* does not have family, friends, or other household members participating

Exclusion Criteria:

* The exclusion criteria are the opposite of the inclusion criteria above.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

Female, Age 18-65, Cigarette smoking 10 or more per day for more than 1 year, sedentary (not exercising more than 2 days per week)

Exclusion Criteria:

Major depression, Hypertension, Current yoga practice, Current mind/body therapies
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Staff member (nurse or doctor) of the ED department of St. James' hospital, Dublin
* Preference to participate in the study

Strict inclusion criteria will be applied for admitted ED patients (determined by the Clinical Research Facility data controller and ward staff):

* Conscious patient
* Cognitively functioning to an adequate level
* Not actively abusing any substance
* Preference to participate
* Over the age of 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* Alcohol or substance abuse within the past 6 months
* Are currently using (at the time of enrolment) anti-psychotic medication or recently started on anti-depressant medication (less than 3 months at the time of enrolment). Participants on a stable dose of anti-depressant medication (for more than 3 months) will be permitted but advised to consult with their GP or psychiatrist prior to enrolment.
* A diagnosis of schizophrenia
* More than 4 consecutive classes of meditation training or mind-body practices (including yoga and tai-chi) in the past 2 years
* Current pregnancy or lactation
* Not available to attend all programme dates

Answer: D