Helping residents manage stress can lead to better patient care.
Inna Kaminecki, MD, was thrilled to complete her pediatrics residency at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), but she admits she struggled with burnout. “The third year was especially stressful because I was chief resident and was interviewing for fellowships,” she says.
Dr. Kaminecki is not alone. A recent Mayo Clinic study found that 45 percent of residents experience at least one major symptom of burnout. Preventing burnout not only improves the health and wellness of residents and reduces physician turnover, but it also helps prevent medical errors.
Banishing Burnout
Last October, MMC launched an initiative called the Well-Being Program to address physician burnout among residents, physicians and nurses. Dr. Kaminecki led a study of her colleagues to better understand how burnout affects MMC residents. The study was based on a survey from Mayo Clinic’s Well-Being Index. Residents were also asked to record their daily steps with a fitness tracker.
Over a two-year period, 83 residents participated in the study, which found that 28 percent were at high risk for burnout. Dr. Kaminecki discovered that many participants weren’t getting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended 10,000 steps per day of physical activity. She concluded that residents’ physical activity and well-being could benefit from improvement.
“Becoming a physician shouldn’t mean sacrificing your health and well-being,” says Pranoy Mohapatra, MHA, Manager of Medical Education, who is leading the initiative to reduce burnout. “Through focus groups, our residents said the resources that would benefit their wellness were exercise, access to good food and a place to relax and de-stress.”
To address residents’ needs, a lounge was created. It’s stocked with healthy food and enables residents to rest between shifts. “I used the lounge during my night rotation as a quiet place to relax,” says Dr. Kaminecki. The hospital also gives residents access to the newly renovated cardiopulmonary rehabilitation gym. What’s more, residents are able to attend educational programs, such as a financial wellness day.
MMC was recently named a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group-a national nonprofit organization committed to improving health care quality and safety-for the second year in a row. “Monmouth Medical Center has a long history as a teaching hospital, and our respected reputation attracts top physicians,” says Eric Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of MMC. “Our residents and medical students are an integral part of our collaborative approach to achieving superior safety and quality.”
To learn more about the Department of Medical Education click here or call 800.807.9191.