Take 10: A Resident Well-Being Initiative and Burnout Mitigation Strategy

J Surg Educ. 2022 Mar-Apr;79(2):322-329. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.09.022. Epub 2021 Oct 27.

Abstract

Objective: Physician training is associated with stressors which contribute to burnout. Individual and institutional level strategies can be employed to address resident burnout; however, time is an often-reported barrier in initiating recommended well-being activities. We hypothesize that brief bursts of well-being activities that are conducive to a resident schedule can mitigate burnout.

Design: This is a prospective observational study following burnout after implementation of an institution-wide, well-being initiative called "Take 10."

Setting: In the present study, the "Take 10" initiative, meditating or exercising for a minimum of 10 minutes per day 3 times a week, was encouraged at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a tertiary care center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Participants: Following implementation of the initiative, 254 residents from surgical, procedural, and non-procedural specialties were invited to complete surveys assessing compliance with encouraged "Take 10" activities as well as rates of burnout over a 5-month period. A total of 201 surveys were completed during the study period.

Results: Overall, burnout rates were worse for females (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.7 | Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.57, 9.05), better for those living with others (OR = 0.22 | CI = 0.07, 0.64), and better for those participating in "Take 10" initiatives (OR = 0.71 | CI = 0.58, 0.86). There was a significant difference in resident-reported burnout (Control = 85.3% vs Intervention = 58.2% | p < 0.01) and Resident Well-Being Index score (Control = 3.73 vs Intervention=2.93 | p < 0.01), when "Take 10" initiatives were employed.

Conclusions: "Take 10" is a low cost and low intensity initiative for individuals and programs to use to mitigate burnout.

Keywords: Burnout; Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Quality improvement; Resident; Well-being.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Burnout, Professional* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internship and Residency*
  • Physicians*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Surveys and Questionnaires