scholarly journals Trainee perspective of the causes of stress and burnout in surgical training: a qualitative study from Wales

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e045150
Author(s):  
David Bryan Thomas Robinson ◽  
Oliver Luton ◽  
Katie Mellor ◽  
Osian Penri James ◽  
Luke Hopkins ◽  
...  

ObjectivesStress and burn-out among surgical trainees has been reported most prevalent in core surgical trainees (CST) and female trainees in particular. This study aimed to identify factors perceived by CSTs to be associated with stress and burnout in those at risk.DesignAn open-ended questionnaire was distributed to 79 CSTs and two researchers categorised responses independently, according to Michie’s model of workplace stress.SettingA UK regional postgraduate medical region (Wales).ParticipantsSixty-three responses were received; 42 males, 21 females. The response rate was 79.7%.ResultsInter-rater reliability was good (k=0.792 (79.2%), p<0.001). The most common theme of Michie’s model related to CST stress and burnout was career development, with most statements associated with curriculum, examination and academic demands required to attain a CST certificate of completion of training, and higher surgical national training number appointment. This was closely followed by those intrinsic to the job with recurrent discussion around the difficulties balancing work perceived to be service provision (ward work and on-calls), outpatient clinic and operative experience. Conversely, the most common themes relevant to stress and burnout among female trainees were associated with relationships at work (primarily the male-dominated nature of surgery), extraorganisational factors (family–work life balance) and individual characteristics (personality and physiological differences).ConclusionCSTs’ perceptions regarding the causes of National Health Service related stress and burnout are numerous, and these findings provide a basis for the development of targeted stressor counter-measures to improve training and well-being.

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 860-876 ◽  
Author(s):  
Musrrat Parveen ◽  
Iman Adeinat

Purpose Most studies focusing on the transformational leadership style present the conclusion that compared with other leadership styles tends to be associated with a lower level of workplace stress experienced by employees. Yet, the literature is by no means extensive enough to put the issue of the relationship between this style of leadership and employee stress to rest. Given that this is the case, the purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between the transformational leadership style and the work stress (WS) of employees in the banking industry. The extent to which this relationship leads to employee burnout and the extent to which WS correlates with multiple factors, such as demographic characteristics (gender, work experience and marital status), are examined in this context. Design/methodology/approach In total, 600 questionnaires were distributed to employees of government and non-government banks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in late 2017. The final sample comprised 250 complete sets, which were used in the analysis. The questionnaire consisted of four sections: transformational dimensions, WS, burnout and demographic profile. Before the authors proceeded to test the hypotheses developed in this study, the authors performed an exploratory factor analysis on the items designed to measure transformational dimensions, WS and burnout. Next, the authors performed confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that bank managers who use the transformational leadership style significantly increased the job-related stress of employees, indicating that bank managers who use a transformational leadership style increase the job-related stress of subordinate employees. However, the results in regard to the transformational leadership style show a significant though small positive effect on employee burnout, indicating that this type of leadership decreases employee burnout. Furthermore, job-related stress has a significant mediating effect in relation to the transformational leadership style and subordinate employees’ burnout. Finally, the results indicate that married status and a high level of work experience are each associated with lower job stress compared with unmarried status and a low level of work experience. Originality/value This research paper contributes to the literature by investigating transformational leadership in the banking industry – an industry of fundamental economic importance in Saudi Arabia and globally. The research results, unlike those reported in most other studies to date, strongly suggest that the transformational leadership style can be associated with a high level of workplace stress, thereby pointing to new conclusions about this style and its effects on the health and well-being of the majority of employees. The results of this paper should be carried forward in this research direction, as doing so has the potential to challenge and even override what have become assumptions about the positive effects of the transformational leadership style. The insights derived from this research paper, therefore, should benefit academics and practitioners who can reference the outcomes in designing programs to support the recruitment, selection and development of effective leaders in the banking sector – especially given the broader ramifications both for overall firm performance and for the well-being of the majority of the country’s employees.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Bogaerts ◽  
Marianne van Woerkom ◽  
Yasemin Erbaş ◽  
Elien De Caluwé ◽  
Carlo Garofalo ◽  
...  

Forensic healthcare workers deal with patients with severe psychiatric and behavioral problems that put them at an increased risk of developing work-related stress and burnout. Working with this target group of patients during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic with far-reaching restrictive measures can negatively affect the psychological well-being of forensic workers. Research suggests that resilience can buffer workplace stress and contribute positively to psychological well-being. However, research on resilience, psychological well-being and work-related stress among forensic healthcare workers is still lacking. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the interrelations between psychological well-being and resilience on the one hand and work-related stress and Covid-19 fear-related symptoms on the other hand. Self-report data were obtained from 318 healthcare workers (73.9% women) working in three Forensic Psychiatric Centers (M age = 44.20, SD = 14.31) and are in direct contact with forensic patients. The data were analyzed using network analysis. Consistent with previous research, the results showed that workplace stress and fear associated with the Covid-19 pandemic can be detrimental to workers' psychological well-being, while resilience can serve as a protective factor against being personally attacked or threatened by patients at the workplace. Last but not least, we identified highly central symptoms, namely tremors due to the fear of the coronavirus and anxiety when other people coughing, which would be the best candidates for future treatment targets. This knowledge can help clinicians optimize interventions to reduce workplace stress and fear due to the pandemic. Future studies should aim to replicate our findings in a larger and more representative sample of forensic healthcare workers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-34
Author(s):  
Zenel Orhani ◽  
Marsela Shehu

Abstract Work related stress is thought to affect an individual’s psychological and physical health in different ways. The aim of the study is to identify the level of stress at work and the impact that the involvement in Physical Activity has for the overall psychological well-being and healthy lifestyle. The sample of the study includes 416 subjects aged 25 - 64 years old, 177 males and 239 females from different professions in Tirana. Instruments used are “Workplace Stress Survey” by The American Institute of Stress (AIS) and “Employee Physical Activity Survey” by EDB Sonoma County, California. The second questionnaire was modified and adapted by the authors for the purposes of this study. For statistical data processing and qualitative descriptions SPPS statistical software package, version 20, Microsoft Office Excel 2007 has been used. The data show that subjects are at a moderate level of stress at work (60.1%), thus stress is present. The dominant gender with work stress is represented by females (60.8%). Referring to the type of profession favoring PA, subjects claim that they cannot be involved in PA in the workplace (78.1%). The subjects are characterized by a low level of PA performance even in their free time; on average they spend 1 - 2 hours/week for 1 - 2 days. As a conclusion, we can say that involvement in PA for managing and reducing stress in the workplace and not only, it is considered as one of the most important factors, it mainly focuses on reducing anxiety and irritability, and increased concentration in individuals′ professional tasks.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 336
Author(s):  
Jelena Maric ◽  
Djukic Aleksandra ◽  
Branislav Antonic ◽  
Danilo Furundzic ◽  
Vladimir Parezanin

Working people spend around 54% of their waking hours at a workplace, according to recent statistics. Work-related stress is unavoidable, and it can damage the health of employees and affect business performance. In this paper, we argue that open space inside the workplace environment can have a positive influence on reducing overall stress levels in all the categories of users. To our knowledge, there is a significant lack of research considering specific business districts and the gated complexes called business parks, especially in post-socialist Eastern European cities, where there they are still a novelty. Empirical research in this study is on the single case study of Business Park “Airport city” in Belgrade, Serbia. Its main focus is on the survey conducted with 235 participants based on a questionnaire, which examines the relation between workplace stress and workplace environments. The findings from the questionnaire show that the frequency, duration, and activity of open space usage influence the stress levels of employees in this specific workplace, while it is not visible relating to their age and gender. Additionally, final implications suggest that improved open space, such as well-expected greenery, but also the urban design non-associative to workspace and the socialization and exercise amenities customized for frequent and short work breaks, can facilitate the overall well-being of employees. They are innovative elements in relatively underdeveloped research on stress measures with open space usage characteristics in the specific (gated) workplace setting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Holtzclaw ◽  
Jack Ellis ◽  
Christopher Colombo

Abstract Background Almost half of trainees experience burnout during their career. Despite the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) recommendation that training programs enact well-being curricula, there is no proven method of addressing this difficult topic. Methods We created a curriculum addressing physician resiliency and well-being, designed for an Internal Medicine Residency Program. This curriculum utilized episodes from a medical television series, Scrubs, to facilitate a monthly, 1-h faculty guided discussion group. We collected informal feedback and abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventories (aMBI) monthly and conducted a formal focus group after 6 months to gauge its effectiveness. Results The curriculum was successfully conducted for 12 months with each session averaging 18–20 residents. Residents reported high satisfaction, stating it was more enjoyable and helpful than traditional resiliency training. 19 of 24 residents (79 %) completed a baseline aMBI, and 17 of 20 residents (85 %) who attended the most recent session completed the 6-month follow-up, showing a non-significant 1-point improvement in all subsets of the aMBI. Conclusions This novel, low-cost, easily implemented curriculum addressed resiliency and burn-out in an Internal Medicine Residency. It was extremely well received and can easily be expanded to other training programs or to providers outside of training.


Author(s):  
Alexis R. Stefaniak ◽  
Jessica M. Blaxton ◽  
C. S. Bergeman

The present study explores differences in daily stress across individuals of varying ages. Specifically, we explore whether age group (young adult, midlife, late midlife, later life) relates to differences in types of stress (family, friends, partner, health, finances, work), total stress exposure, and perceptions of daily stress intensity. Participants from the Notre Dame Study of Health & Well-being (NDHWB; N = 891) completed daily questionnaires assessing negative small life events and perceived stress for 8 weeks. Findings indicated that young adults reported a higher average number of family, spouse, finance, and work-related stress. Additionally, total daily stress was highest among young adults, and perceived stress was lowest among later life adults. Because daily stress relates to long-term mental and physical stress, gaining a better understanding of how individuals at different points in the life span uniquely experience stress can inform intervention and preventative care techniques aimed at promoting optimal well-being.


Author(s):  
Josefine Atzendorf ◽  
Stefan Gruber

AbstractEpidemic control measures that aim to introduce social distancing help to decelerate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their consequences in terms of mental well-being might be negative, especially for older adults. While existing studies mainly focus on the time during the first lockdown, we look at the weeks afterward in order to measure the medium-term consequences of the first wave of the pandemic. Using data from the SHARE Corona Survey, we include retired respondents aged 60 and above from 25 European countries plus Israel. Combining SHARE data with macro-data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker allows us to include macro-indicators at the country level, namely the number of deaths per 100,000 and the number of days with stringent epidemic control measures, in addition to individual characteristics. The findings show that both macro-indicators are influential for increased feelings of sadness/depression, but that individual factors are crucial for explaining increased feelings of loneliness in the time after the first lockdown. Models with interaction terms reveal that the included macro-indicators have negative well-being consequences, particularly for the oldest survey participants. Additionally, the results reveal that especially those living alone had a higher risk for increased loneliness in the time after the first COVID-19 wave.


Author(s):  
Antonio Tintori ◽  
Giulia Ciancimino ◽  
Giorgio Giovanelli ◽  
Loredana Cerbara

Background: The study of adolescents’ behaviours and attitudes is crucial to define interventions for the containment of deviance and social discomfort. New ways of social interaction are crystallising violent behaviours which are moving more than ever on a virtual sphere. Bullying and cyberbullying share a common behavioural matrix that has been outlined through specific environmental and individual characteristics. Methods: A survey carried out in Italy in 2019 on a statistical sample of 3273 students highlighted the influence of several social and individual variables on deviant phenomena. Risk and protective factors in relation to the probability of involvement in bullying and cyberbullying have been shown through a bivariate analysis and a binary logistic regression model. Results: The study shows that presence of stereotypes and social prejudices, tolerance to violence and high levels of self-esteem have resulted as the main risk factors. On the other hand, low levels of tolerance related to the consumption of alcohol and drugs, high levels of trust towards family and friends and being female have been identified as protective factors. Conclusions: This research confirms the validity of several theories on bullying and cyberbullying phenomena. Furthermore, it identifies specific risk and protective factors and their influence on deviant behaviours, with a focus on environmental characteristics which appear as the key field of work to enhance adolescents’ well-being.


Author(s):  
Paul Cullen ◽  
Joan Cahill ◽  
Keith Gaynor

Abstract. Increasing evidence suggests that commercial airline pilots can experience physical, mental, and social health difficulties. Qualitative interviews with commercial airline pilots explored the relationship between work-related stress and well-being. Participatory workshops involving pilots were conducted. The methodology of this action-based research involved a blend of person-centered design approaches; specifically, “stakeholder evaluation” and “participatory design.” The findings further support the hypothesis that pilot well-being is being negatively affected by the nature of their work. The biopsychosocial model of the lived experience of a pilot, as presented in this paper, provides a useful structure to examine pilot well-being, and to identify and scope potential coping strategies to self-manage health and well-being issues associated with the job of being a pilot.


Author(s):  
Katalin Borbáth

We worked with the fact that, nowadays, the majority of teachers in schools are female, so the aim of our research became to assess the general state of mental hygiene in female teachers, and its causal relations. In this study we presented the may-sided, diversified roots of the research, based on positive, Jungian and personal psychology, educational researches on teachers personality, gender issues in education. We also exhibited the connected studies on stress and burn out mostly in connection to teachers and the field of education. The research has a specific focus on female teachers' mental hygiene states in connection with their developing professional and female identity. We pointed out some connections of our main points of examination and the Finnish teacher training practice, too. As a main hypothesis we presume that just a certain group of female teachers are in a state of fragile mental hygiene. In the detailed hypotheses we are looking for evidence that the mental hygiene state shows differences between certain groups among female teachers. The best way for examination appeared to be by using two validated (MBI-ES, LOT-R) and two personal creating questionnaires (BÉIK, SzSzK, only in Hungarian), as a comparative survey. On the whole, our starting assumption has been proved, that female teachers' mental hygiene state in our meaning the level of burnout and psychological well-being are in connection with the level of the elaboration of their professional and female identity.


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