Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Mindful Medical Practice pp 105–110Cite as

Mindful Decisions in Urogynecological Surgery: Paths from Awareness to Action

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 877 Accesses

Abstract

Mindfulness is a key element in my urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery practice. Working with a patient as therapeutic coach, we define the nature and severity of her problem, the boundaries of her knowledge, and the limits of her willingness to endure discomfort and imposition on her lifestyle when secondary health benefits are sacrificed. Mindfulness opens possibilities of engagement with patients on emotional as well as intellectual levels, and promotes shared decision making as a result of a partnership where each party makes unique contributions. Mindful surgical planning motivates physicians to offer medical expertise, professional perspective, and their personal experience to the consultation. It empowers patients to bring their personal experience, cultural perspective, and current understanding to determine elective interventions at their own pace and increases patient satisfaction with outcome.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kabat-Zinn J. Wherever you go there you are: mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion; 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kabat-Zinn J. Full catastrophe living: using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness. New York: Delta; 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Santorelli S. Heal thy self: lessons on mindfulness in medicine. New York: Bell Tower; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hahn TN. Peace is every step: the path of mindfulness in everyday life. New York: Bantam Books; 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  5. ACOG Committee Opinion. Surgery and patient choice: the ethics of decision making. Obstet Gynecol. 2003; 102(5 Pt 1):1101–6.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Barry MJ, Edgeman-Levitan S. Shared decision making—the pinnacle of patient centered care. NEJM. 2012;366:780–1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Engle DE, Arkowitz H. Ambivalence in psychotherapy: facilitating readiness to change. New York: Guilford; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Miller WR, Rollnick SR. Motivational interviewing: preparing people for change. 2nd ed. New York: Guildford; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Al-Badr A. Quality of life. Questionnaires for the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse: use in clinical practice. Urology. 2013;5(3):121–8.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Schurch B, Denys P, Kozma CM, Reese PR, Slaton T, Barron R. Reliability and validity of the incontinence quality of life questionnaire in patients with neurogenic urinary incontinence. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2007;88(5):646–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Gee RE, Corry MP. Patient engagement and shared decision making in maternity care. Obstet Gynecol. 2012;120(5):995–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. O’Connor A, Rostom A, Fiset V, Tetroe J, Entwistle V, Llewellyn-Thomas H, Holmes-Rovner M, Barry M, Jones J. Decision aids for patients facing health treatment or screening decisions: a Cochrane systematic review. BMJ. 1999;319(7212):731–4.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. O’Connor AM, Drake ER, Wells GA, Tugwell P, Laupacis A, Elmslie T. A survey of the decision-making needs of Canadians faced with complex health decisions. Health Expect. 2003;6(2):97–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Elwyn G, O’Connor A, Stacey D, Volk R, Edwards A, Coulter A, et al. The international patient decision aids standards (IPDAS) collaboration. Developing a quality criteria framework for patient decision aids: online international Delphi consensus process. BMJ. 2006;333(7565):417.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. O’Connor A, Wennberg J, Légaré F, Llewellyn-Thomas H, Moulton B, Sepucha K, Sodano A, Staples King J. Towards the tipping point: accelerating the diffusion of decision aids that help patients to weigh benefits versus risks. Health Aff. 2007;26(3): 716–25

    Google Scholar 

  16. Stacey D, Légaré F, Col NF, Bennett CL, Barry MJ, Eden KB, Holmes-Rovner M, Llewellyn-Thomas H, Lyddiatt A, Thomson R, Trevena L, Wu JHC. Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 (1). Art. No. CD001431. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001431.pub4:1–4.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harmony Health, Ottawa Hospital, 152 Cleopatra Drive, Suite 101, K2G 5X2, Ottawa, ON, Canada

    Joyce Schachter

Authors
  1. Joyce Schachter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joyce Schachter .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. McGill University Gerald Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Patricia Lynn Dobkin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Schachter, J. (2015). Mindful Decisions in Urogynecological Surgery: Paths from Awareness to Action. In: Dobkin, P. (eds) Mindful Medical Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15777-1_19

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15777-1_19

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15776-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15777-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation