Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine Research Training

NIH RePORTER · NIH · T32 · $73,835 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Project Summary Anesthesiologists have a high risk for burnout, and stress levels are particularly elevated during training. Over the past year, burnout was significantly amplified due to additional stress of very high-risk exposures as part of the care of COVID-19 patients in the operating room and in the intensive care units, as well as due to significant research interruptions. This is of serious concern in our anesthesiology postdoctoral research training program at University of Washington (UW) and may be addressed through targeted efforts. Several wellness and resilience resources have been developed at UW for the workforce; however, none are targeted for postdoctoral trainees. Our overall objective is to develop and sustain a model to deliver a resilience program and curriculum to promote postdoctoral trainee well-being. To accomplish this objective, we will 1) tailor and implement the Promoting Resilience in Stress Management (PRISM) group-based program for postdoctoral trainees, 2) develop web-based resources and didactic sessions in our curriculum, and 3) modify our Individual Training and Development (IDP) Plan and provide mentor guidance for supporting trainee wellness and resilience. The program (PRISM) is offered in 6-week, 1-hour remote group learning sessions, with 10-12 participants per group. Courses are administered via Zoom, led by two trained PRISM-coaches following a standardized manual. The program is supported by a digital smartphone app for participants’ practice and tracking of skills learned. Program outcome data from the PRISM program delivered to 119 healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic show that the program has been successful in increasing resilience, while decreasing stress, anxiety, and burnout. In order to implement and sustain the PRISM program as part of a wellness and resilience curriculum for our T32 postdoctoral training program and for other postdoctoral training programs at UW, we will develop a Training of Trainers model to engage master trainers in coaching new trainers, in this case, postdoctoral trainees and faculty mentors. We will adapt our Individual Training and Development Plan (IDP) to incorporate both work and life factors into goal setting and provide guidance to mentors on the IDP to discuss ways in which balance can be attained on an individual basis. Program evaluation of the PRISM Postdoc program includes conducting 4 virtual 6-session groups of 10 trainees/faculty mentors (n = 40) over an 8-month period and measuring burnout in all workshop participants from pre- to post-participation. We will also collect trainee and faculty mentor experiences in using the modified IDP and resource guide using open-ended questions about the value and effectiveness. In our own T32 training program, we will encourage trainees to participate in PRISM and to become a trainer, which will be supported by didactic sessions on resilience and wellness as part of our T32 monthly didactics. We will incorp...

Key facts

NIH application ID
10392267
Project number
3T32GM086270-13S1
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Principal Investigator
Tonya M Palermo
Activity code
T32
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2021
Award amount
$73,835
Award type
3
Project period
2009-07-01 → 2024-06-30