With the world in the midst of the ongoing threat of the COVID19 pandemic, we consider the ways in which we can create a more sustainable, compassionate and safe healthcare workforce . In this symposium we present four research studies that explore different ways to build stronger, more sustainable and compassionate workplaces for the healthcare professionals who deliver patient care. First, we explore the role of mindfulness in supporting more effective team outcomes and safer clinical care. Second, we examine how compassion is transmitted from carer to patient, and the role of the carer’s appraisals of the patient. Third, we consider how the leaders’ theories about voice influence team effectiveness and patient outcomes. Finally, we consider how employee silence contributes to turnover and how we can break this cycle. Together, this symposium uses cutting edge research to present new knowledge on how we can cultivate sustainable healthcare organisations by consider the needs of the healthcare workforce and the patients they care for.

This symposium provides participants with examples of cutting-edge research to enable a critical understanding of the key forces within healthcare organisations that contribute to a more sustainable, compassionate and safer healthcare workforce. Specifically, this symposium will present new knowledge on the role of mindfulness, compassion, silence and implicit voice beliefs as key drivers (both positive and negative) of effective outcomes (employee, patient, team and organisational). This will enable participants to remember, understand, and apply these ideas in their own practice settings. Further, the symposium demonstrates the impact of individual employees, dyadic relationships, and team dynamics in healthcare environments. This provides participants with a holistic understanding that enables participants to draw and analyse connections on how the different “parts” of the organisation affect the “whole”. Finally, the symposium will provide ample time to discuss key themes and address questions, thereby allowing participants to evaluate their understanding and application of concepts.

Paper 1: In the Moment Together: Effects of Mindfulness on Patient Safety, Team Performance and Team Satisfaction and the Mediating Role of Team Processes. Authors Nguyen, Helena; Johnson, Anya; Wang Karyn; Yu, Nickolas and Fairbrother, Greg.

Paper 2: Does the apple fall far from the tree? How leader's implicit voice beliefs and empowering leadership affect team voice. Authors Wang Karyn; Nguyen, Helena and Johnson, Anya.

Paper 3: Who Cares? The Role of Appraisals and Psychological Flexibility in the Compassion Process. Authors Dey, Shanta; Nguyen, Helena; Johnson, Anya, Parker, Sharon, Huppert, Felicia; Yu, Nickolas and Fairbrother, Greg..

Paper 4: Breaking the cycle of silence: Effects of types of silence on turnover or future silence and the moderating role of emotion awareness. Authors: Johnson, Anya, Parker, Sharon and Nguyen, Helena.