Improving Team Well-being in Healthcare with Compassion

Feasibility study of a chaplain-delivered compassion intervention to improve psychological safety among interprofessional healthcare teams

NIH-funded research Emory University · NIH-11121795

This project helps healthcare teams learn compassion and improve their working environment, aiming to reduce burnout and enhance patient care.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionEmory University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Atlanta, United States)
Project IDNIH-11121795 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Healthcare providers often experience burnout, which can affect both their well-being and the quality of care patients receive. This project introduces a special program called Compassion Centered Spiritual Health Team Intervention (CCSH-TI), delivered by hospital chaplains. The program teaches mindfulness and compassion to help team members support each other and feel safer in their work environment. By strengthening team dynamics and reducing stress, the goal is to create a more positive and effective healthcare setting for everyone.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients are not direct participants in this intervention, but those receiving care from participating healthcare teams could indirectly benefit from improved team well-being.

Not a fit: Patients who do not receive care from healthcare teams participating in this specific intervention would not directly experience its benefits.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to happier, more cohesive healthcare teams, which in turn could improve the quality and safety of care for patients.

How similar studies have performed: While many small studies have explored burnout interventions, the overall evidence base for effective team-based approaches remains low, making this a novel and foundational step.

Where this research is happening

Atlanta, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.