Exploring Senior Level Athletic Training Students' Perceptions on Burnout and Work-Life Balance

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Barrett ◽  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Christianne M. Eason
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Professional Socialization ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
Cumulative Impact ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
The Future ◽  
Negative Findings

Context: The professional socialization process enables athletic training students (ATSs) to gain insights into behaviors, values, and attitudes that characterize their chosen profession. However, the process often focuses on skill development over professional issues. ATSs may be exposed to burnout and work-life conflict, which may impact their professional perceptions. Objective: Examine the cumulative impact of professional socialization on the ATS regarding their perceptions of burnout and work-life balance. Design: Qualitative research. Setting: Semistructured interviews with 6 individuals and 4 focus groups. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-three ATSs enrolled in their final semester of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited programs at 5 universities (9 male, 14 female; average age = 22 years). Main Outcome Measure(s): Data collection occurred from 2 cohorts over a 2-year period. Participants completed focus group or individual interviews following the same interview guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. A general inductive analysis was used to evaluate the data. Themes were enumerated by counting the frequency with which a viewpoint was mentioned. Not all students answered each question. Member checks and a peer review established data credibility. Results: Three major themes emerged from our analysis, where ATSs reported (1) perceiving burnout, (2) recognizing burnout in their preceptors and professors, and (3) that work-life imbalance may be a challenge in the future. Athletic training students described experiencing feelings they attributed to burnout while recognizing similar signs in classmates and preceptors or professors, and acknowledged that having a family could be difficult in the future. Conclusions: Despite these seemingly negative findings, this group of ATSs was not influenced to leave the profession. Observing their preceptors use strategies and positive behaviors gave them hope for the future. Professionals must understand the importance of appropriate socialization when students are exposed to potentially negative situations so they remain optimistic about entering the field.

scholarly journals Female Athletic Training Students' Perceptions of Motherhood and Retention in Athletic Training

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 678-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Kerri Gavin
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Role Model ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Athletic Training Education ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Athletic Trainer ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Life Balance

Context: Motherhood appears to be a catalyst in job turnover for female athletic trainers, especially those employed at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level. However, most researchers examining this topic have investigated the perspectives of those who are currently employed rather than those who are preparing to enter the profession. Objective: To evaluate female athletic training students' perceptions of motherhood and retention. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Athletic training education program. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 18 female athletic training students volunteered to participate. They were enrolled in 1 Commission on Accrediting Athletic Training Education–accredited athletic training program and represented 3 levels of academic study. Data Collection and Analysis: The participants responded to a series of questions related to work–life balance and retention in athletic training. Analysis of the data followed a general inductive process. Credibility was established by interpretive member checks and peer review. Results: The first theme, clinical setting, speaks to the belief that work–life balance and retention in athletic training require an employment setting that fosters a family-friendly atmosphere and a work schedule (including travel) that allows for time at home. The second theme, mentorship, reflects the acknowledgment that a female mentor who is successful in balancing the roles of mother and athletic trainer can serve as a role model. The final theme, work–life balance strategies, illustrates the need to have a plan in place to meet the demands of both home and work life. Conclusions: A female athletic trainer who is successfully balancing her career and family responsibilities may be the most helpful factor in retention, especially for female athletic training students. Young professionals need to be educated on the importance of developing successful work–life balance strategies, which can be helpful in reducing attrition from the profession.

scholarly journals Fulfillment of Work–Life Balance From the Organizational Perspective: A Case Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 668-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Ashley Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Clinical Setting ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Division I ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Family Friendly

Context: Researchers studying work–life balance have examined policy development and implementation to create a family-friendly work environment from an individualistic perspective rather than from a cohort of employees working under the same supervisor. Objective: To investigate what factors influence work–life balance within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I clinical setting from the perspective of an athletic training staff. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Web-based management system. Patients or Other Participants: Eight athletic trainers (5 men, 3 women; age = 38 ± 7 years) in the NCAA Division I setting. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants responded to a series of questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. We included data-source triangulation, multiple-analyst triangulation, and peer review to establish data credibility. We analyzed the data via a grounded theory approach. Results: Three themes emerged from the data. Family-oriented and supportive work environment was described as a workplace that fosters and encourages work–life balance through professionally and personally shared goals. Nonwork outlets included activities, such as exercise and personal hobbies, that provide time away from the role of the athletic trainer. Individualistic strategies reflected that although the athletic training staff must work together and support one another, each staff member must have his or her own personal strategies to manage personal and professional responsibilities. Conclusions: The foundation for a successful work environment in the NCAA Division I clinical setting potentially can center on the management style of the supervisor, especially one who promotes teamwork among his or her staff members. Although a family-friendly work environment is necessary for work–life balance, each member of the athletic training staff must have personal strategies in place to fully achieve a balance.

scholarly journals National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Facilitating Work-Life Balance in Athletic Training Practice Settings

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 796-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
William A. Pitney ◽  
Ashley Goodman ◽  
Christianne M. Eason ◽  
Scott Spak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Climate ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Position Statement ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Athletic Trainer ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
National Athletic Trainers Association ◽  
Training Practice

Objective: To illustrate the concept of work-life balance and those factors that influence it and to provide recommendations to facilitate work-life balance in athletic training practice settings. To present the athletic trainer with information regarding work-life balance, including those factors that negatively and positively affect it within the profession.Background: Concerns for work-life balance have been growing within the health care sector, especially in athletic training, as it is continuously linked to professional commitment, burnout, job satisfaction, and career longevity. The term work-life balance reflects those practices used to facilitate the successful fulfillment of the responsibilities associated with all roles one may assume, including those of a parent, spouse, partner, friend, and employee. A host of organizational and individual factors (eg, hours worked, travel demands, flexibility of work schedules, relationship status, family values) negatively influence the fulfillment of work-life balance for the athletic trainer, but practical strategies are available to help improve work-life balance, regardless of the practice setting.Recommendations: This position statement is charged with distributing information on work-life balance for athletic trainers working in a variety of employment settings. Recommendations include a blend of organizational and personal strategies designed to promote work-life balance. Establishing work-life balance requires organizations to have formal policies that are supported at the departmental and personal level, in addition to informal policies that reflect the organizational climate of the workplace. Individuals are also encouraged to consider their needs and responsibilities in order to determine which personal strategies will aid them in attaining work-life balance.

scholarly journals Multilevel Examination of Job Satisfaction and Career Intentions of Collegiate Athletic Trainers: A Quantitative Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christianne M. Eason ◽  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
Craig R. Denegar ◽  
William A. Pitney ◽  
Jennifer McGarry
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Career Intentions ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Collegiate Athletic Trainers

Context:  Recent employment data from collegiate athletic training settings have demonstrated departure trends among men and women. These trends have been hypothesized to be related to work-life balance. However, work-life balance is only 1 aspect of a myriad of factors. Due to the complex nature of the work-life interface, a multilevel examination is needed to better understand the precipitators of departure. Objective:  To quantitatively examine factors that may influence collegiate athletic trainers' (ATs') job satisfaction and career intentions via a multilevel examination of the work-life interface. Design:  Cross-sectional study. Setting:  Web-based questionnaire. Patients or Other Participants:  Athletic trainers employed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, II, or III or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics colleges or universities (N = 299: 56.5% female, 43.5% male). The average age of participants was 33.6 ± 8.3 years, and their average experience was 10.3 ± 7.6 years. Data Collection and Analysis:  Participants responded to an online questionnaire consisting of demographic questions, 9 Likert-scale surveys, and open-ended questions. Job-satisfaction Scores (JSSs) and intention-to-leave scores (ITLSs) served as the dependent variables and factors from individual, organizational, and sociocultural levels were the independent variables. Hierarchical regression analysis was run to determine the predictability of factors. Results:  No sex differences in ITLS or JSS were found in our sample. Independent variables explained 68.5% of the variance in JSS and 28.8% of the variance in ITLS. Additions of factor levels increased the percentage of explained variance in both scores. Conclusions:  A combination of individual-, organizational-, and sociocultural-level factors was able to best predict JSS and ITLS among collegiate ATs.

scholarly journals Achieving Work-Life Balance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Setting, Part II: Perspectives From Head Athletic Trainers

2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Goodman ◽  
Stephanie M. Mazerolle ◽  
William A. Pitney
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Lower Order ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Division I ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Organizational Challenges

Context: Work-life balance has been examined at the collegiate level from multiple perspectives except for the athletic trainer (AT) serving in a managerial or leadership role. Objective: To investigate challenges and strategies used in achieving work-life balance from the perspective of the head AT at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Web-based management system. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 18 head ATs (13 men, 5 women; age = 44 ± 8 years, athletic training experience = 22 ± 7 years) volunteered. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants journaled their thoughts and experiences in response to a series of questions. To establish data credibility, we included multiple-analyst triangulation, stakeholder checks, and peer review. We used a general inductive approach to analyze the data. Results: Two higher-order themes emerged from our analysis of the data: organizational challenges and work-life balance strategies. The organizational challenges theme contained 2 lower-order themes: lack of autonomy and role demands. The work-life balance strategies theme contained 3 lower-order themes: prioritization of commitments, strategic boundary setting, and work-family integration. Conclusions: Head ATs are susceptible to experiencing work-life imbalance just as ATs in nonsupervisory roles are. Although not avoidable, the causes are manageable. Head ATs are encouraged to prioritize their personal time, make efforts to spend time away from their demanding positions, and reduce the number of additional responsibilities that can impede time available to spend away from work.

FUTURE OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE – PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

2020 ◽  
Vol 560-561 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 31-36
Author(s):  
Piotr Michoń
Keyword(s):  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Professional Work ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Precarious Employment ◽  
Future Of Work ◽  
The Future

Taking the parent’s perspective, the essay addresses the issue of work-life balance. Based on the observed trends, I made an attempt to predict which changes may have the greatest impact on the possibilities of achieving balance in the future: (1) shortening the time spent on performing professional work, (2) wide spreading of tasks contracts, which will increase flexibility as to place and time of performing tasks; (3) spread of precarious employment; (4) increased fathers’ involvement of fathers in childcare. While separately described the changes are interdependent; at the same time, their consequences can be positive (facilitate work-life balance) or negative. Moreover, the described changes will not equally apply to all employees in the future.

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