Longitudinal evaluation of the surgical workforce experience during the Covid-19 pandemic - 08/11/22

Doi : 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.04.015

Sarah I. Landau ^a, Catherine Mavroudis ^b, Ezra Brooks ^a, Regan Bergmark ^c, Nicholas L. Berlin ^d, Elizabeth Lancaster ^e, Jennifer Waljee ^d, Elizabeth Wick ^e, Heather Yeo ^f, Christopher Wirtalla ^b, Rachel R. Kelz ^b,^⁎
^a University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, USA
^b University of Pennsylvania, Department of Surgery, USA
^c Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA
^d University of Michigan, USA
^e University of California, San Francisco, USA
^f Weill Cornell Medical College, USA

^∗Corresponding author. 3400 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.3400 Spruce StreetPhiladelphiaPA19104USA

connettersi o creare un account

Benvenuto su EM|consulte, il riferimento dei professionisti della salute.
Articolo gratuito.

Si connetta per beneficiarne

Abstract

Background

An updated examination of the surgeon experience during the Covid-19 pandemic is lacking. This study sought to describe how surgeon stress levels and sources of stress evolved over the pandemic.

Methods

An electronic survey was administered to surgeons at four academic hospitals at 6-months and 12-months following an initial telephone survey. The primary outcome was stress level and secondary outcomes were the individual stressors. Thematic analysis was applied to free text responses.

Results

A total of 103 and 53 responses were received at 6-months and 12-months, respectively. The mean overall stress level was 5.35 (SD 1.89) at 6-months and 4.83 (SD 2.19) at 12-months. Mean number of stressors declined from 3.77 (SD 2.39) to 2.06 (SD 1.60, P < 0.001), though the “finances” stressor increased frequency (27.2% to 34.0%). Similar qualitative themes were identified, however codes for financial and capacity challenges were more prominent at 12-months.

Conclusions

The surgical workforce continues to report elevated levels of stress, though the sources of this stress have changed. Targeted interventions are imperative to protect surgeons from long-term psychological and financial harm.

Il testo completo di questo articolo è disponibile in PDF.

Highlights

•	During later months of Covid-19 surgeons continued to report elevated stress levels.
•	Mean number of reported stressors declined over the study period.
•	Financial concerns became an increasingly prominent source of stress.
•	Addressing financial and capacity challenges may help to alleviate surgeon stress.
•	Evidence-based strategies to mitigate physician burnout are useful resources.