Fractured in surgery: Understanding stress as a holistic and subjective surgeon experience

Physician stress impacts patient care and provider wellness. Researchers have largely used reductionist approaches to study stress (e.g. focusing on physiology). This study sought to understand surgeons’ subjective experiences of stress in the workplace, using a holistic perspective. Using a constru...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of surgery 2021-04, Vol.221 (4), p.793-798
Main Authors: McQueen, Sydney, Mobilio, Melanie Hammond, Moulton, Carol-anne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Clinical medicine
Cognitive ability
Data collection
Female
Fractured state
Fractures
Grounded Theory
Heart rate
Humans
Interviews
Interviews as Topic
Male
Occupational health
Occupational Stress - psychology
Ontario
Physiology
Psychological stress
Robotics
Stress
Surgeon stress
Surgeons
Surgeons - psychology
Surgery
Wellness
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Summary:Physician stress impacts patient care and provider wellness. Researchers have largely used reductionist approaches to study stress (e.g. focusing on physiology). This study sought to understand surgeons’ subjective experiences of stress in the workplace, using a holistic perspective. Using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 staff surgeons at the University of Toronto, purposively sampled for specialties and experience levels. The stress experience was reconceptualized as a variable and multidimensional state of fracture, comprised of physiologic, cognitive, emotional, sociocultural, and environmental facets. Reconceptualizing surgeon stress as a multidimensional state of fracture may help surgeons recognize the contributing facets and identify appropriate strategies for promoting wellness and optimizing performance. •The subjective surgeon experience of stress is complex and multifaceted.•‘Stress’ was reconceptualized as a multidimensional state of fracture:•Physiological, cognitive, emotional, sociocultural, and environmental facets.•We argue for viewing physician stress, wellness, and performance holistically.
ISSN:0002-9610
1879-1883
DOI:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.04.008