Education Commons^™

Assessment Of General Surgery Resident Wellness From The Perspectives Of Family, Friends, And Loved Ones, Dana Unninayar, Benjamin Sc Fung, Gordon Best, Isabelle Raiche

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Surgical trainees have high rates of burnout compared to residents from other specialties. However, burnout is underreported by trainees, limiting potential interventions to improve wellness. Loved ones are an underused resource for assessing wellness and detecting burnout among residents. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions and concerns regarding resident wellness and burnout, as well as strategies to improve wellness, from the perspective of loved ones.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in 2022 at an urban academic center after ethics board approval. An anonymous 18-question survey to assess resident burnout, wellness, and …

Innovative Virtual Wellness Interventions At An Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Ritika Baweja, Michael Hayes, Aditya Joshi, Raman Baweja

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: There is generally a concerning likelihood of burnout in healthcare workers. Given the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, our institution identified the need for wellness interventions to foster adaptive functioning and mitigate burnout. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of virtual holistic interventions like meditation, art, laughter therapy and dance and their impact on overall well-being of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs).

Methods: A series of 12 virtual sessions (art therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness-based practices/meditation and laughter therapy) were offered to providers over a 6-month period. Participants completed an online survey reporting …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Impact Of A Well-Being Retreat For Physicians And Advanced Practice Providers, Amanda K. Bailey, Amanda T. Sawyer, Hong Tao, Leila Durr, Alexandra Lajeunesse, Ravindran Sabapathy, Tyon L. Hall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Work stress experienced by physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) can have a detrimental psychological and physical impact. Targeted interventions that focus on self-awareness, peer connection, and intentional self-care may reduce stress and improve well-being and professional fulfillment.

Methods: This is a summative program evaluation of a two-day well-being retreat for physicians and APPs employed at a healthcare system headquartered in Florida. Led by mental health professionals in May 2022, this retreat combined facilitator-led workshops and experiential practice activities with opportunities for peer connection and designated time with family members. The retreat objectives were to facilitate social …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 2, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Similar to prior reviews, the Journal of Wellness editors searched the literature from the second half of 2022 for an interesting and impactful selection of publications on wellness in healthcare professionals.

Methods: Editors conducted a standard keyword search in Pubmed, focusing chiefly on large journals, interventional trials, and other prospective research. We included papers published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Literature in Review: Finding several hundred publications, we excluded editorials, reviews, and some smaller, less generalizable papers. A final 25 significant studies focusing on wellness in medical professionals were sorted into the following categories: logistics, creativity …

Who Leads The Emergency Department Debrief?, Allison D. Lane, Ethan Bryce, Marcy R. Milbrandt, Lisa R. Stoneking

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Wellness Review 2022, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article represents the first of a two-part assessment of 2022 literature addressing wellness in healthcare professionals published from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Methods: Three editors conducted a similar keyword search in Pubmed, also adding manually curated articles. Focusing chiefly on clinical trials and other prospective research, we settled on a final 25 significant papers focusing on wellness in medical professionals to include in this review.

Literature Review: Recent literature into HCW wellness continues to describe burnout factors and COVID-19 impact, but includes more resilience-targeting interventions and systematic reviews of trials seeking bolstering of well-being. Subsections …

More Work, Less Reward: The Minority Tax On Us Medical Students, Marija Kamceva, Baffour Kyerematen, Sabina Spigner, Samuel Bunting, Simiao Li-Sauerwine, Jane Yee, Michael Gisondi

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Minority tax is defined as the burden of time and resources placed on minority persons to represent and advocate for their communities. We determined whether medical students underrepresented in medicine (URM) or from historically excluded (HE) populations experience a minority tax and characterized its effects.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey of US medical students occurred November 2020 - June 2021. We used Mann-Whitney U tests to compare metrics between URM and HE participants and their peers. The primary outcome was time invested in activism/diversity initiatives versus other work. Secondary outcomes included measures of microaggressions, discrimination, institutional culture, anxiety/depression, …

Evaluating Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress, And Sleep Disturbances In Healthcare Professionals During A Global Pandemic, Laura K. Miller, Sarah Pehlke

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: For healthcare workers, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increased workload, work related stress and patient acuity potentially leading to burnout, secondary traumatic stress (STS), and sleep disruptions. This study aims to assess the prevalence of burnout and STS symptoms, as well as sleep disturbances among healthcare personnel working in the United States during the pandemic.

Methods: Healthcare workers from all disciplines and settings in the United States completed a cross-sectional survey about work and personal characteristics from January 20-March 1, 2021. Participants reported on symptoms of burnout, STS, and sleep disruptions.

Results: A total of 360 participants in the …

A Resident Retreat With Emergency Medicine Specific Mindfulness Training Significantly Reduces Burnout And Perceived Stress, James O'Shea, Mark Dannenfelser, Melissa White, Anwar Osborne, Timothy P. Moran, Michelle D. Lall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: We hypothesize that a resident retreat with mindfulness training tailored for Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians can significantly reduce levels of burnout and perceived stress in EM residents.

Methods: We conducted an intervention study of 60 EM residents undergoing an annual resident retreat with a 2.5-hour mindfulness training. The retreat was a department-funded 2-day off-site experience with a wellness theme. The training was developed and delivered by an EM physician (JO'S) who is a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher trainee, and a certified MBSR teacher (MD). The training focused on techniques that can be used on shift, such as mindful …

Wellness Review 2021, Part 2, Brian A. Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article presents Part 2 of the biannual JWellness Review of literature from 2021 (July – December). We emphasize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of burnout and thriving among healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Methods: For the interval of July 1 to December 30, 2021, PubMed was queried for empirical and observational research studies, review articles, guideline summaries, letters, and editorials. Of 93 results, we reviewed methods and salient points to arrive at a final list of 48 articles for inclusion.

Literature in Review: Common themes that emerged included teamwork, EMR optimization, group decompression, …

The Last Conversation, Muhammad Ismail Khalid Yousaf

Journal of Wellness

The brain-death exam is one of the most sensitive undertakings for a physician, especially a neurologist, because of its social and legal implications. It is the vital examination establishing a clear lack of meaningful vitals, allowing a family to mark the end of a journey and a life finally complete. Physicians who perform and establish this death-decision must ensure they are au courant with the family's sentiments and concerns. It would behoove this obligated physician to bear in mind that it is a human being who will go through this invasive and rough exam. This comatose person is a father …

Women Just Wanna Have Time: Wellness Innovation Research, Jessica Long, Julia Simon, Victoria Demartelly, Candice Norcott, Adrianne Dade

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Studies show that the stress that resident physicians endure, particularly female residents, can have a negative impact on one’s overall well-being. Many interventional studies have explored the impact that mindfulness, meditation, and exercise have on stress, a negative influencer of well-being. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how short, self-led mindfulness, meditation, and movement exercises impacted OB/GYN residents at a university-based program.

Methods: Participants voluntarily enrolled in a self-led program (fall 2019 – spring 2020) encompassing movement, mindfulness, and meditative activities, for which they received instructions by email detailing six 21-day cycles (requiring 15 minutes of daily …

Student Pharmacists’ Emotional Responses And Coping During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah E. Johnson, Deaundre Bumpass, Aric Schadler, Jeffrey Cain

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Health professions students, including student pharmacists, have been impacted by the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19 pandemic) as schools have transitioned to remote learning and cancelled milestone events. During times of crises, media consumption and hobby participation also impact well-being. The adverse emotional responses and coping strategies of student pharmacists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have not been evaluated, nor have factors that may contribute to emotional responses. The purpose of this study is to determine Doctor of Pharmacy students’ emotional responses and coping precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the influence of media use, working status, and participation in hobbies. …

Graduate Medical Education On The Frontlines During The Covid-19 Pandemic In New York City- A Response To Promote Well-Being, Saadia Akhtar, Sakshi Dua, Paul J. Rosenfield, Frank H. Basloe, Muhammad Khalid, Jonathan A. Ripp, Michael Leitman

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has driven many health care institutions in the United States beyond their capacity. Physicians-in-training in graduate medical education programs have suffered the strain of providing patient care during this unprecedented time of crisis. The significant prevalence of pre-existing resident and fellow burnout and depression makes the need for action by institutions to support the well-being of residents and fellows even more urgent. We aim to describe innovative adaptations our Office of Graduate Medical Education implemented with the support of institutional leadership as responses to promote the well-being of residents and fellows on the frontlines during the …

Emergency Medicine Shift Factors Causing The Most Stress Among Emergency Medicine Residents, Mohamad Moussa, Kristen Hayden, Chia-Hao Shih, Sadik Khuder, Zayd Safadi, Connor Parsell

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Past studies demonstrate that stress and anxiety affect emergency medicine physicians, but the causal factors identified are usually from sources outside the work shift. We attempt to show the relationship between intrinsic factors of a work shift and anxiety perceived by residents, while also examining differing gender responses.

Methods: In 2018, a cross-sectional survey of emergency medicine residents in the United States was distributed anonymously through the Emergency Medicine Residents Association. The survey consisted of demographic questions, novel questions identifying intrinsic factors, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. Spearman correlation, independent t-test, and multivariate analysis of variance …

Reducing “Treble” With Performance Focused Music Programs In Medical School: A Student Driven Needs Assessment To Clarify Participation Barriers Amongst Undergraduate Medical Students, Alexander Tu, Tiffany Truong, Kristy J. Carlson, Matthew J. Brooks, Jayme R. Dowdall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: The beneficial impact of performing arts involvement within undergraduate medical education, such as music, has been studied, but support for the arts varies significantly by institution. Research has suggested that medical student involvement in the arts can help develop their identities as physicians and may reduce stress and burnout, an increasingly difficult problem within the medical student community.

Methods: We used a mixed-method cross-sectional study design, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interview designed amongst a team of music professionals and healthcare providers with music backgrounds. Out of 511 enrolled medical students, 93 students participated in the study for a …

Medical Schools Ignore The Nature Of Consciousness At Great Cost, Anoop Kumar

Journal of Wellness

The essential question of the relationship between consciousness and matter is ignored in medical school curricula, leading to a machine-like view of the human being that contributes to physician burnout and intellectual dissatisfaction. The evidence suggesting that the brain may not be the seat of consciousness is generally ignored to preserve the worldview of the primacy of matter. By investigating new frameworks detailing the nature of consciousness at different levels of hierarchy, we can bring intellectual rigor to a once opaque subject that supports a fundamental reality about our experience: We are human beings, not only human bodies.

Demographics, Activities, And Environmental Factors Impact Burnout In A National Survey Of Emergency Medicine Residents, Nicole Battaglioli, Tim P. Moran, Simiao Li-Sauerwine

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout in emergency medicine and in residency training has been well-described. The impact of demographic, individual, and programmatic factors on burnout have not previously been determined in a national survey of emergency medicine residents. This study aimed to identify personal and environmental factors impacting resident burnout in a national sample of emergency medicine residents.

Methods: A prospective Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey was administered in 2017. We surveyed respondents on demographic, personal, and environmental factors; each respondent also completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey. Linear regressions were used to identify variables associated with the Maslach Burnout …

Gme: Gym In Medical Education-Maintaining Physical And Mental Well Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brian J. Nguyen, Elana A. Meer, Joyce E. Nguyen

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Wellness Review 2020, Part 2, Brian Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article comprises Part 2 of the Journal of Wellness review of 2020 wellness literature (July – December). In this review, JWellness editors continue the goal of offering a cohesive summary of recent publications within the wellness domain. We summarize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of either burnout and its prevention or thriving in the medical community.

Methods: From the interval of 01 July – 31 Dec 2020, PubMed was queried for empirical research studies, review articles, and editorials in accordance with the following algorithm: an article was required to …

The Crossroads Of Wellness And Second Victim Syndrome: Identifying Factors That Alter The Pathway Of Caregiver Recovery Following An Unanticipated Adverse Patient Outcome, Kimia Zarabian, A. Katharine Hindle, Ivy Benjenk, Anita Vincent, Jamil M. Kazma, Benjamin Shambon, Raymond Pla, Eric Heinz

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Second Victim Syndrome (SVS) describes the phenomenon in which a caregiver experiences a traumatic psychological and emotional response to an adverse patient event or medical error. Using quantitative survey analysis, we aim to better understand the personal factors that affect SVS development and recovery.

Methods: Caregivers at a small urban academic medical center who had experienced an adverse patient event in the past six months were invited to take part in this institution-wide, voluntary, quantitative, cross-sectional study. Three surveys were administered; the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory (HRLSI) was used as a surrogate to measure stressful life events. The …

Doc’Apella: A Vocal Performance Group Designed To Reduce Stress And Prevent Burnout Among Medical And Health Sciences Students, Kristy J. Carlson, Laura E. Newton, Paul J. Brosnihan, Steven P. Wengel, Jayme R. Dowdall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is common among health professions trainees characterized by emotional exhaustion induced by repeated stressors. Although traditional stress management activities to promote wellness are effective in reducing stress short-term, alternative approaches are needed with the potential for long-term impact. To address burnout among students at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), a vocal group was formed to provide a creative outlet. The purpose of this study was to determine the students’ motivation for joining Doc’Apella and assess the impact on burnout.

Methods: Students enrolled in a health sciences program were invited to participate during the 2018-19 academic year …

Promoting Resident Emotional Health Meaningful Connections: An Evaluation Of A Wellness Game, Bruce St. Amour, William B. Dehart

Journal of Wellness

Introduction

Physician wellness is a topic of significant national interest. Physician burnout is at its highest point during residency and is linked to many negative outcomes. The Core Emotional Needs are a useful framework to guide thinking toward wellness in residents: connection and acceptance, healthy autonomy and performance, reasonable limits, and healthy responsibility and standards. We examined the efficacy of a game (“Well, For Me…”) designed to improve social connection and acceptance among residents to reduce social isolation. We hypothesized that this activity would be viewed positively by the residents as an intervention to improve resident wellness.

Methods

Participants …

Optimist Prime- Emergency Medicine Residents Are An Optimistic Group, Nicole Battaglioli, Sarah Mott, Tim P. Moran, Simiao Li-Sauerwine, Matt Melamed

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: No study before has been conducted looking at the level of optimism and pessimism in emergency medicine residents and how it may be linked to resident burnout. This is the first national- level assessment of these personality factors.

Methods: This was a prospective survey study leveraging data obtained through the 2017 National Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey, which included the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a 10-item tool that measures levels of optimism versus pessimism.

Results: We found that the majority of our resident respondents scored in the moderate category of the LOT-R. Additionally, …

Perspective: Responding To The Well-Being Of Health Care Workers And Learners In Academic Medicine During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cherie C. Hill, Paula G. Gomes, Alayna H. Feng, Cricket C. Gullickson, Carla I. Haack, Sheryl L. Heron

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

A Cuticular Romance, Anne F. Liu

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Books: The Original And Final Refuge For Mental Wellness, Kyle Christopher Miller

Journal of Wellness

An appreciation for literature and how reading fights to stay relevant in the fast moving era of technology.

Can We Actually Improve Resident Wellness? Pilot Data From A Longitudinal Wellness Curriculum For Emergency Medicine Residents, Anne M. Messman, Claire Min-Venditti, Elizebeth Dubey, Brian Reed, Hanhan Zhang, Hafez Bazzi, James Paxton

Journal of Wellness

Objectives/Background: The wellness of resident physicians, particularly in emergency medicine with its high rate of burnout, has become of paramount importance to residency programs. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the implementation of an evidence-based wellness curriculum on self-reported resident wellness across three emergency medicine residency programs.

Methods: This is a prospective, interventional study of the impact of a well-defined, longitudinal wellness curriculum administered to all categorical residents in three emergency medicine residency programs. Anonymous surveys incorporating the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were administered before and after implementation of the …

Wellness Domains For Residency Training Programs, Danielle Hart, Glenn Paetow, Ramin Tabatabai, Rochelle Zarzar, Arlene S. Chung

Journal of Wellness

In this editorial, we describe a residency-specific wellness framework that residency leadership can utilize in developing their local wellness programs.

Wellness Review 2019, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson

Journal of Wellness

Welcome to the first Journal of Wellness review of recent literature. Wellness leaders are aware that a literature search yields thousands of articles on burnout, less on wellness, and no consistent, reliable source of publication. This validates the mission of JWellness, to collect editorials and research in one location, free for all to read and publish, allowing dissemination to all healthcare professionals.