FIGURE 1 : Contextual social connectedness concept model of resident wellness
Program
Faculty
FIGURE 2 : Hale ’ s modern revision of Maslow ’ s original work * with additional integrated framework extension . 7
es . 7 , 8 Hale et al expanded on Maslow ’ s basic needs to include fundamental health determinants for residents such as sleep , physical health and safety , and mental health . Additionally , they changed the pyramidal orientation of wellness needs to be circular , thereby recognizing the
Resident Wellness
Peers
* Reproduced and revised with permission from Andrew Hale , MD
Nursing and Ancillary Staff
importance of all needs simultaneously . 7 The participants in our study illustrate the ways in which all members of the healthcare team can support resident wellness in a variety of domains . Peers , support staff in the hospital environment , faculty supervisors , and the program overall can provide support of the basic physiologic needs — safety , belonging , esteem , and selfactualization — of resident learners .
The relationship between wellness and
4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 13 – 15 resident education is well studied . However , the current study is one of few to consider the impact of social connectedness in resident education . In a systematic review of the literature , Raj reviewed 26 articles examining the predictors and factors associated with well-being , as well as barriers and success of interventions aimed to enhance resident wellness . Three main factors emerged as key to resident wellness : autonomy , competence building , and strong social connection . 15 Less studied is the impact of contextual social connections , such as relationships with other team members , on resident wellness . Pham et al . considered these social connections by including people who might influence a resident ’ s wellness through formal or casual interactions throughout the day . 16 They utilized a story-based feature of those people whom residents encounter throughout the clinical learning environment . Individuals from faculty members to newspaper vendors discussed the aspects of learning and patient care environment on resident ’ s wellness and shared their stories in the resident ’ s weekly newsletter . Qualitative results of this study highlighted how others can foster a sense of contextual social attachment for the residents leading to a healthier learning experience . Conversely , a sense of disconnect or distance or a lack of communication could lead to feeling detached . This is one of few studies highlighting the importance of community and social connectedness on resident wellness and focuses from the outside ( community ) in and not from the resident ( individual ) outward .
Social connectedness is key to wellness , especially during times of stress and uncertainty . During stressful times , such as the recent pandemic , researchers found that people who reported a stronger sense of social connectedness had lower levels of stress , worry , and fatigue . 17 It is generally understood that resident education is also unpredictable and stressful and a sense of social connectedness could help buffer against negative experiences and boost resilience . Feeling connected to
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