Designing and implementing a resiliency program for family medicine residents

Abstract

Family medicine residents are at risk for burnout due to extended work hours, lack of control over their work schedule, and challenging work situations and environments. Building resiliency can prevent burnout and may improve a resident's quality of life and health behavior. This report describes a program designed to build resiliency, the ability to bounce back from stress, in family medicine residents in a medium sized U.S. residency training program. Interactive sessions emphasized building self-awareness, coping skills, strengths and meaning in work, time management, self-care, and connections in and outside of medicine to support resident well-being. System changes which fostered wellness were also implemented. These changes included increasing the availability of fresh fruits in the conference and call room, purchasing an elliptical exercise machine for the on call room, and offering a few minutes of mindfulness meditation daily to the inpatient residents. Results to date show excellent acceptance of the program by trainees, increased consumption of nutritious foods, more personal exercise, and self-reported decreased overreactions to stress. Resiliency programs can effectively serve to meet accreditation requirements while fostering residents' abilities to balance personal and professional demands.

Enhancing Wellness and Engagement Among Healthcare Professionals

“…This deliberate focus on resilience in the face of adversity can have a powerful effect on the optimism of both patient and provider. The approach fits well within an existing literature supporting that resilience can be enhanced deliberately through self-care acts like adequate rest and exercise [21] and through social support and use of cognitive coping skills [1].…”

The evaluation of a continuing professional development package for primary care dentists designed to reduce stress, build resilience and improve clinical decision-making

“…46 These have included the use of exercise, 47 Balint/supervision/discussion groups 48 and mindfulness/meditation training. 49 A recent review of programmes to reduce burnout in physicians 50 (either individual or organisational interventions) found that stress management programmes (as well as mindfulness-based and small group discussions) were successful in reducing burnout scores, although few studies assessed the long-term effects of the programmes.…”

Pilot randomised controlled trial to improve hand hygiene through mindful moments

“…Similarly, concerns about social stigma when practising mindfulness is a reality that will require leadership and role modelling by attendings and residents to offset. The suggestion to briefly practise as a group prior to rounds has been previously studied with inpatient nurses21 and resident physicians 31. The approach was reported to be relatively easy to implement and well received by participants; however, the influence on provider and patient outcomes requires further study.…”