BACKGROUND: It is estimated that over half of medical students experience severe distress, a condition that correlates with low mental quality-of-life, suicidal ideation and serious thoughts of dropping out. While several risk factors for the development of severe distress have been identified, most focus on individual student characteristics. Currently, little is known about the impact medical schools have on student wellbeing. METHODS: Prospective, observational survey study from 2019–2020 from a national cohort of US medical students. Student wellbeing, school characteristics, and wellbeing resource availability was measured with a 30-question electronic survey. Medical student distress was defined as a Medical Student Wellbeing Index (MS-WBI) of ?4. Risk factors for the development of severe distress were evaluated in a multivariate logistic regression model. The impact of the number of wellbeing resources available on student wellbeing was measured along multiple wellbeing domains. Independent reviewers categorized free text analysis of survey responses about desired wellbeing resources into themes. RESULTS: A total of 2,984 responses were included in the study, representing 45 unique medical schools. Medical school characteristics independently associated with severe distress included low faculty support (OR 4.24); the absence of mentorship resources (OR 1.63) and the absence of community building programs (OR 1.45) in a multivariate model. Increased availability of wellbeing resources was associated with lower average MS-WBI (4.58 vs. 3.19, p<0;05) and a smaller percentage of students who had taken or considered taking a leave of absence (40% vs. 16%, p<0.05). The resources most desired by students were mental health services and scheduling adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of medical school characteristic that contribute to student distress are modifiable. Improving faculty support and offering more and varied wellbeing resources may help to mitigate medical student distress. Student feedback is insightful and should be routinely incorporated by schools to guide wellbeing strategies.
Risk Factors Associated with Student Distress in Medical School: Associations with Faculty Support and Availability of Wellbeing Resources
[This is an excerpt.] Purpose: Nurses have a duty to care for patients and are challenged to thoughtfully analyze the balance of professional responsibility and risk, including competing moral obligations and options, in order to preserve the ethical mandates in situations with actual or potential risk to the nurse or profession. Statement of ANA Position: The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes that nurses are obligated to care for patients in a nondiscriminatory manner, with respect for all individuals. The ANA recognizes there may be limits to the personal risk of harm nurses can be expected to accept as an ethical duty. Harm includes emotional, psychological, physical, moral, or spiritual harm. When defining professional nursing responsibilities, nurses consider the required, reciprocal obligations of employers, government, and society to provide the resources necessary to reduce known or unknown risks. Nurses are not obligated to take on extreme risk to prove their value. [To read more, click View Resource.]
Risk and Responsibility in Providing Nursing Care
Emergency department staff are often affected by incidents of violence. The aim of the study was to generate data on the frequency of violence by patients and accompanying relatives and the correlation between experienced aggression, a possible risk of burnout and a high sense of stress. Additionally, the buffering effect of good preventive preparation of care staff by the facility on aggressive visitors and patients was examined. In this cross-sectional study, members of the German Society for Interdisciplinary Emergency and Acute Medicine were surveyed. The investigation of risk factors, particularly experiences of verbal and physical violence, as well as exhaustion and stress, was carried out using ordinal regression models. A total of 349 staff from German emergency departments took part in the survey, 87% of whom had experienced physical violence by patients and 64% by relatives. 97% had been confronted with verbal violence by patients and 94% by relatives. Violence by relatives had a negative effect on perceived stress. High resilience or effective preparation of employees for potential attacks was shown to have a protective effect with regard to the burnout risk and perceived stress. Therefore, management staff play a major role in preventing violence and its impact on employees.
Risk of Burnout among Emergency Department Staff as a Result of Violence and Aggression from Patients and Their Relatives
PURPOSE: Research evaluating the well-being of rural family physicians is limited, resulting in minimal understanding of how to prepare family medicine residents to succeed in rural practice postresidency. Our study aimed to investigate factors associated with maintaining wellness within rural family medicine practices and highlight interventions that rural family physicians identify as important to promote wellness among those seeking future employment in rural settings postresidency. METHODS: Forty-eight rural family physicians completed an online survey with qualitative and multiple-choice items including the Mini-Z about physician demographics, burnout, and wellness. We conducted data analysis using NVivo 12 software for qualitative analyses and R 3.6.1 software for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The majority of participants reportedly maintained wellness in rural family practice (maintenance of wellness=79.17%; denied burnout=62.26%). Burnout rates were similar to the national burnout rates for family physicians (37.74% vs 46%). Participants identified multiple residency interventions that could be implemented to prepare rural family physicians to succeed. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights factors that are associated with the maintenance of wellness among rural family physicians. This is the first study to investigate rural family physician perspectives on residency interventions that may have positive outcomes on wellness postresidency.
Rural Family Physician Perspectives on Wellness and the Role of Training in Supporting Physician Wellness
OBJECTIVE: To measure wellness and burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians and identify trends and at-risk populations to inform future interventions. METHODS: Gynecologic oncologist (GO) and advanced practice provider (APP) responses to the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology State of the Society survey were analyzed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory criteria for burnout was used. Work-life balance was scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Chi-square tests were used to compare mental health factors and the prevalence of burnout. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for associations between burnout and gender. RESULTS: 543 survey responses were included for analysis. Most GO (54%) and all APP respondents were female. Female GOs were disproportionately affected by burnout particularly in the Northeast (female(F): 40.9% vs male(M): 19.1%, p = 0.007) and South (F: 42.5% vs M:22.9%, p = 0.01). Burnout in female GOs over 40 was 1.79 (CI: 1.13–2.83; p-value 0.01) times higher than similarly aged males. Females in non-private practice experienced burnout 1.66 times that of males in similar positions (CI: 1.18–2.94; p < 0.0001). Female GOs reported the worst work-life balance across all 5 domains. APPs and female GOs experienced more stress and feeling overwhelmed compared to men. GOs were more reluctant to see a mental health professional (p = 0.0003) or take medication (p = 0.009) than APPs. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout in gynecologic oncology persists in both genders and is felt most acutely by female GOs. APPs are not immune and would benefit from inclusion in future research to mitigate burnout in healthcare clinicians.
SGO and the Elephant That is Still in the Room: Wellness, Burnout and Gynecologic Oncology
The optimal staffing model for physicians in the ICU is unknown. Patient-to-intensivist ratios may offer a simple measure of workload and be associated with patient mortality and physician burnout. To evaluate the association of physician workload, as measured by the patient-to-intensivist ratio, with physician burnout and patient mortality. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: Fourteen academic centers in the United States from August 2020 to July 2021. SUBJECTS: We enrolled ICU physicians and collected data on adult ICU patients under the physician's care on the single physician-selected study day for each physician. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary exposure was workload (self-reported number of patients' physician was responsible for) modeled as high (>14 patients) and low (?14 patients). The primary outcome was burnout, measured by the Well-Being Index. The secondary outcome measure was 28-day patient mortality. We calculated odds ratio for burnout and patient outcomes using a multivariable logistic regression model and a binomial mixed effects model, respectively. We enrolled 122 physicians from 62 ICUs. The median patient-to-intensivist ratio was 12 (interquartile range, 10-14), and the overall prevalence of burnout was 26.4% (n = 32). Intensivist workload was not independently associated with burnout (adjusted odds ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.24-2.23). Of 1,322 patients, 679 (52%) were discharged alive from the hospital, 257 (19%) remained hospitalized, and 347 (26%) were deceased by day 28; 28-day outcomes were unknown for 39 of patients (3%). Intensivist workload was not independently associated with 28-day patient mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.92-1.91). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, approximately one in four physicians experienced burnout on the study day. There was no relationship be- tween workload as measured by patient-to-intensivist ratio and burnout. Factors other than the number of patients may be important drivers of burnout among ICU physicians.
SWEAT ICU-An Observational Study of Physician Workload and the Association of Physician Outcomes in Academic ICUs
BACKGROUND: Sabbaticals are an important feature of academia for faculty and their institutions. Whereas sabbaticals are common in institutions of higher learning, little is known about their role and utilization in US medical schools. This perspective piece examining sabbaticals in medical school faculty was undertaken at a time that well-being of health professionals was increasingly being recognized as a workforce health priority. METHODS: We surveyed associate deans at US medical schools in 2021 about faculty who had taken sabbaticals within the past 3 years, the parameters of the sabbaticals, and institutional policies and respondents' predictions of future sabbatical use. RESULTS: A total of 53% of respondents reported any faculty had taken sabbaticals in the past 3 years (M = 6.27; Median = 3; range = 1-60). Institutions rated enhancing research as the most important objective, while recognizing other benefits. Sabbaticals were more commonly taken by male, white, senior faculty PhDs. Details about sabbaticals, including eligibility, expectations, length, financial support, and benefits were reviewed. Most (54.8%) respondents expected no change in the number of faculty seeking sabbaticals. Nearly all anticipated the COVID-19 pandemic would not affect sabbatical policies. CONCLUSION: In contrast to other institutions of higher learning, sabbatical-taking by medical school faculty is rare. We explore factors that may contribute to this phenomenon (eg, the tripartite mission, faculty clinical responsibilities, culture of medicine, and student debt). Despite financial and other barriers, a closer look at the benefits of sabbaticals is warranted as a mechanism that may support faculty well-being, retention, and mental health.
Sabbaticals in US Medical Schools
BACKGROUND: The increasing number of physicians leaving practice, especially hospitalists, has been well-documented. The most commonly examined factor associated with this exodus has been burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a unique and unprecedented stress on hospitalists who have been at the front lines of patient care. Therefore, the investigation of burnout and its related factors in hospitalists is essential to preventing future physician shortages. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between burnout, second victim, and moral injury experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among hospitalists. METHODS: Two anonymous cross-sectional surveys of hospitalists from a community hospital in the metropolitan Washington, DC area were conducted. One was conducted pre-COVID-19 (September-November 2019) and one was conducted during COVID-19 (July-August 2020). The surveys were sent to all full-time hospitalists via an online survey platform. A variety of areas were assessed including demographic (e.g., age, gender), work information (e.g., hours per week, years of experience), burnout, second victim experiences, well-being, and moral injury. RESULTS: Burnout rates among providers during these two time periods were similar. Second victim experiences remained prevalent in those who experienced burnout both pre and during COVID-19, but interestingly the prevalence increased in those without burnout during COVID-19. Moral injury was predictive of burnout during COVID-19. CONCLUSION: While there were some factors that predicted burnout that were similar both pre- and during-pandemic, moral injury was unique to predicting burnout during COVID-19. With burnout as a contributing factor to future physician shortages, it is imperative that predictive factors in a variety of different environments are well understood to prevent future shortages. Hospitalists may be an excellent barometer of these factors given their presence on the front line during the pandemic, and their experiences need to be further explored so that targeted interventions aimed at addressing those factors may be created.
Second Victim Experiences and Moral Injury as Predictors of Hospitalist Burnout Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
OBJECTIVE: Within the last 20 years, there has been a 500% increase in public safety suicides, the exact cause of which is unknown. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. Nine EMS agencies were selected to participate based on geography and population. The survey assessed sociodemographic, occupational, and military factors. Childhood adversity and traumatic experiences were evaluated using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and the Life Events Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, respectively. Using factors signi?cant in univariate analyses, a logistic regression was conducted to determine predictors of suicidality while controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total of 681 EMS providers participated; 56.1% were male, 12.6% were minorities, and 72.8% were paramedics. Nearly a quarter (24.4%) had considered suicide. Approximately twice as many had received counseling for a stress-related event, and 1.5 times as many identi?ed as currently in counseling. Indigenous populations were 4.76 times more likely to have suicidality (odds ratio [OR] = 4.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-18.62). Suicidality was 97% more likely in EMS professionals with prior military service (OR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.08-3.57) and 2.22 times more likely in sexual minorities (OR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.16-4.25). Emotional abuse (OR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.08-3.21) and burnout (OR = 2.88; 95% CI, 1.78-4.66) were also predictive. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality is an indisputable concern for the EMS profession and represents a multifaceted issue that must be addressed.
Secondary Traumatic Stress in Emergency Services Systems Project: Quantifying the Effect of Personal Trauma Profiles on Lifetime Prevalence of Suicidality in Emergency Medical Services Personnel
BACKGROUND: Advanced practice RNs (APRNs) working in rural primary care provide a spectrum of health care needs that can lead to professional burnout. As a preventative for burnout, the Institute of Medicine developed a strategy focused on self-care. Understanding the importance of self-care as a preventive for building professional resilience to manage workplace stressors during students' academic years may improve retention. METHOD: Twenty-two APRN students participated in a rural primary care immersion course with a specific component on self-care. Preand postsurveys, student journaling, class discussions, and a posttraining focus group were used to assess students' progress. RESULTS: Students reported strengthening patient and team relationships, enhanced interpersonal communication, and increased self-awareness of stressors for managing their emotions. These self-imposed processes improved student confidence, job satisfaction, and workplace resilience. CONCLUSION: Heath-promoting behaviors via self-care during APRN students' formal education may assist them in their clinical practice as rural primary care providers. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(4):187-191.].
Self-Care for Advanced Practice Nursing Students in Rural Primary Care
CONTEXT: Burnout remains prevalent among surgical residents. Self-compassion training may serve to improve their well-being. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact on well-being of a self-compassion program modified for surgical residents. DESIGN: This is a 3-year, mixed-methods study using pre-post surveys and focus groups to identify areas for programmatic improvement and the subsequent impact of the modifications. SETTING: A single academic institution. PARTICIPANTS: Surgical residents participating in a self-compassion program. Interventions A self-compassion program adapted from a larger course to fit the needs of surgical residents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Themes relating to the program's strengths and weaknesses were identified through participant focus groups. Well-being was assessed through validated measurement tools, including The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Perceived Stress Scale, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-6. RESULTS: 95 residents participated in the self-compassion program, of which 40 residents completed both surveys (total response rate: 42%). All participants demonstrated severe burnout pre-program, based on scores of at least one of the MBI subscales. Emotional exhaustion scores improved post-program, with larger improvements seen after program modifications (2018: 58% vs 2020: 71%). Focus group findings demonstrated that residents need a safe and distraction-free space to practice self-compassion, and program engagement improved following modifications.
Self-Compassion Training to Improve Well-Being for Surgical Residents
OBJECTIVES: Combined pediatrics-anesthesiology programs uniquely prepare residents to care for critically ill children, but trainees in these combined programs face challenges as residents within 2 specialties. Social belonging predicts motivation and achievement and protects against burnout. The objective of our study was to evaluate sense of belonging and self-identified professional identity of current combined pediatrics-anesthesiology residents. METHODS: All current residents in combined pediatrics-anesthesiology programs were invited to participate in an anonymous survey assessing sense of belonging and professional identity. Open-ended responses were qualitatively analyzed using an inductive coding process and thematic analysis. Likert questions were analyzed using paired t-tests. RESULTS: Thirty-two of 36 residents completed the survey (89% response rate). A total of 92% of respondents had a lower sense of belonging in pediatrics than anesthesiology (3.32 vs 3.94) and more self-identified as anesthesiologists than pediatricians. Thematic analysis yielded 5 themes 1) the team-based nature of pediatrics results in strong initial bonds, but feelings of isolation as training pathways diverge; 2) the individual nature of anesthesiology results in less social interaction within daily work, but easier transitions in and out of anesthesiology; 3) divergent training timelines result in feeling left behind socially and academically; 4) residents identify different professional and personal characteristics of pediatricians and anesthesiologists that impact their sense of belonging; and 5) the structure of the combined program results in experiences unique to combined residents. CONCLUSIONS: Most residents in combined pediatrics-anesthesiology programs had a higher sense of belonging and self-identification in anesthesiology than pediatrics. Program structure and autonomy had significant impacts.
Sense of Belonging and Professional Identity Among Combined Pediatrics-Anesthesiology Residents
BACKGROUND: There is little existing research investigating SH/SA specifically from patients to students. This study aims to assess the prevalence and impact of SH and SA from patient to medical student. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was administered via electronic email list to all current medical students at the University of Washington School of Medicine (n =?1183) over a two-week period in 2019. The survey questions addressed respondents' experiences with SH/SA from patients, frequency of reporting, and impact on feelings of burnout. RESULTS: Three hundred eleven responses were received for a response rate of 26%; 268 complete responses were included in the final analysis. Overall, 56% of respondents reported ever experiencing SH from a patient. SH from a patient was reported by significantly more of those who identify as female compared to male (66% vs 31%; p
Sexual Harassment from Patient to Medical Student: A Cross-Sectional Survey
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The shame reaction is a highly negative emotional reaction shown to have long-term deleterious effects on the mental health of clinicians. Prior studies have focused on in-hospital personnel, but very little is known about what drives shame reactions in emergency medical services (EMS), a field with very high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout, anxiety, and depression. The objective of this study was to describe emotions, processes, and resilience associated with self-identified adverse events in the work of prehospital clinicians.METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study using a modified critical incident technique. Participants were recruited from two EMS agencies in North Carolina: one urban and one rural. They provided an open-ended, written reflection in which they were asked to self-identify particular events in their EMS careers that felt emotionally difficult. In-person or video indepth interviews about these events were then conducted in a semi-structured fashion using an iterative interview guide. The codebook was developed through a mix of inductive and deductive analysis strategies and discussed within the research team and a content expert for validation. Interviews were transcribed and data were analyzed following a thematic content analysis approach for types of cases identified as emotionally difficult, common emotional responses and coping mechanisms, and the lingering effects of these experiences on study subjects. RESULTS: Eight interviews were conducted with EMS personnel: five from an urban agency and three from a rural agency. Participants commonly identified complex medical cases as being emotionally difficult, which led to the most robust shame reactions. Shame reactions were more common when EMS clinicians committed self-perceived errors in patient care, whereas guilt reactions were more common when patient outcomes seemed “inevitable” despite any intervention. Common themes related to coping mechanisms included both personal mechanisms, which tended to be less successful compared to interpersonal mechanisms, particularly when emotions were shared with colleagues. This reflected a perceived culture change within EMS in which sharing emotions with colleagues was seen as a departure from the “old school” where emotions tended to be kept to oneself. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-worth, and being “not good enough” were frequently identified as lingering emotions after difficult cases that were hard to move on from, corresponding to longstanding shame in these clinicians. Recovery and resilience varied but tended to be positively associated with a culture in which sharing with colleagues was encouraged, along with personal introspection on root causes for the sentinel event. CONCLUSION: EMS clinicians often identify complex patient cases as those leading to emotions such as shame and guilt, with shame reactions being more common when a perceived error was committed. Coping mechanisms were varied, but individuals often relied on their coworkers in a sharing environment to adequately process their negative feelings, which was seen as a departure from past practices in EMS personnel. Our hope is that future studies will be able to use these findings to identify targets for intervention on negative mental health outcomes in EMS personnel.
Shame and Guilt in EMS: A Qualitative Analysis of Culture and Attitudes in Prehospital Emergency Care
AIM: To assess differences in social group memberships and burnout levels by work tenure among new nurses and identify factors associated with their subjective well-being. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: Participants were 356 registered nurses who had fewer than 3 years of work tenure. Data were collected from February–March 2021. Participants' social identity, burnout, and subjective well-being were assessed using validated questionnaires. STROBE checklist was applied. RESULTS: Multiple group membership was positively associated with life satisfaction and positive affect and negatively with burnout. Burnout influenced new nurses' negative effect in their life transition period. To improve new nurses' subjective well-being, it is essential to focus on their social group membership, encourage participation in group activities, and improve access to sociopsychological resources that can help them take their first steps as professional staff and develop as healthy members of society, which will foster sustainable healthcare systems.
Social Group Membership, Burnout, and Subjective Well-Being in New Nurses in the Life Transition Period: A Cross-Sectional Study
PURPOSE: To examine associations of social support and social isolation with burnout, program satisfaction, and organization satisfaction among a large population of U.S. residents and fellows and to identify correlates of social support and social isolation. METHOD: All residents and fellows enrolled in graduate medical education programs at Mayo Clinic sites were surveyed in February 2019. Survey items measured social support (emotional and tangible), social isolation, burnout, program satisfaction, and organization satisfaction. Factors of potential relevance to social support were collected (via the survey, institutional administrative records, and interviews with program coordinators and/or program directors) and categorized as individual, interpersonal, program, or work-related factors (duty hours, call burden, elective time, vacation days used before survey administration, required away rotations, etc.). Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between variables. RESULTS: Of 1,146 residents surveyed, 762 (66%) from 58 programs responded. In adjusted models, higher emotional and tangible support were associated with lower odds of burnout and higher odds of program and organization satisfaction, while higher social isolation scores were associated with higher odds of burnout and lower odds of program satisfaction and organization satisfaction. Independent predictors of social support and/or social isolation included age, gender, relationship status, parental status, postgraduate year, site, ratings of the program leadership team, ratings of faculty relationships and faculty professional behaviors, satisfaction with autonomy, and vacation days used before survey administration. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that social support and social isolation are strongly related to burnout and satisfaction among residents and fellows. Personal and professional relationships, satisfaction with autonomy, and vacation days are independently associated with social support and/or social isolation, whereas most program and work-related factors are not. Additional studies are needed to determine if social support interventions targeting these factors can improve well-being and enhance satisfaction with training.
Social Support, Social Isolation, and Burnout: Cross-Sectional Study of U.S. Residents Exploring Associations With Individual, Interpersonal, Program, and Work-Related Factors
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Burnout impacts medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. Existing research oversimplifies characteristics associated with burnout. Our study examined relationships between burnout, depressive symptoms, and evidence-based risk factors. METHODS: Our study questions were part of a larger survey conducted by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA), from May 9-23, 2020. Three emails were used to recruit a national sample of family medicine residents (n=283; questions completed via Survey Monkey). We determined descriptive statistics (frequency, means) for demographic and work environment characteristics, UCLA Loneliness Scale items, health behaviors, burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization), and depressive symptoms. Multivariate data analysis included developing three logistic regression (LR) equations (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, depressive symptoms) based on four blocks of potential risk factors (demographics, work environment characteristics, UCLA Loneliness items, and health behaviors). RESULTS: Rates of psychological distress included 33.1% emotional exhaustion, 31.1% depersonalization, and 53.0% depressive symptoms. We determined stepwise forward-entry LR models for emotional exhaustion (feel isolated OR=6.89, low quality of wellness program OR=5.91, and low companionship OR=4.82); depersonalization (feel isolated OR=5.59, low quality of wellness program OR=15.11, graduate US osteopathic medical school OR=0.329, and African American OR=7.55); and depressive symptoms (feel isolated OR=5.31, inadequate time for restful sleep OR=0.383, and no dependent children OR=2.14). CONCLUSIONS: Current findings document substantial social disconnection, substandard residency wellness programs, inadequate time for exercise, sleep, and other forms of self-care in addition to substantial levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and depressive symptoms. We explore implications for the design of future burnout prevention efforts and research.
Social, Individual, and Environmental Characteristics of Family Medicine Resident Burnout: A CERA Study
Burnout among clinicians is common and can undermine quality of care, patient outcomes, and workforce preservation, but sources of burnout or protective factors unique to clinicians working in safety-net settings are less well understood. Understanding these clinician experiences may inform interventions to reduce burnout.
Sources of Clinician Burnout in Providing Care for Underserved Patients in a Safety-Net Healthcare System
The word staffing never fails to conjure up deep feelings in every nurse and nurse leader. It can make or break a shift, a unit, a hospital, or the practice of the entire profession. Staffing has been at the core of nursing for as long as I can remember, and it's interdependent with patient care and nurse satisfaction.
Staffing: Fundamental to Nurse and Patient Experience
Nurse practitioner (NP) scope of practice (SOP) policies are different across the United States. Little is known about their impact on NP work environment in healthcare organizations. We investigated the association between SOP policies and organizational-level work environment of NPs. Through a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 1244 NPs in six states with variable SOP regulations (Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, Pennsylvania, Texas, and California) in 2018–2019. Arizona and Washington had full SOP—NPs had full authority to deliver care. New Jersey and Pennsylvania had reduced SOP with physician collaboration requirement; California and Texas had restricted SOP with physician supervision requirement. NPs completed mail or online surveys containing the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire, which has these subscales: NP-Administration Relations (NP-AR), NP-Physician Relations (NP-PR), Independent Practice and Support (IPS), and Professional Visibility (PV). Regression models assessed the relationship between state-level SOP and practice-level NP work environment. NP-AR scores were higher in full SOP states compared to reduced (β = 0.22, p< 0.01) and restricted (β = 0.15, p< 0.01) SOP states. Similarly, IPS scores were higher in full SOP states. The PV scores were also higher in full SOP states compared to reduced (β = 0.16, p< 0.001) and restricted (β = 0.12, p< 0.05) SOP states. There was no relationship between SOP and NP-PR score. State-level policies affect NP work environment. In states with more favorable policies, NPs have better relationships with administration and report more role visibility and support. Efforts should be made to remove unnecessary SOP restrictions.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Government: Optimizing Workload & Workflows (Advance Team-Based Care).