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Being prepared to work in Gynecology Medicine: evaluation of an intervention to promote junior gynecologists professionalism, mental health and job satisfaction

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Dealing with work-related stress is highly prevalent for employees in Gynecology Medicine. Junior physicians, in particular, have to face high working demands and challenges while starting their medical career after graduation. Job resources (i.e., social support) and personal resources (coping skills) might reduce job strain. The evidence for supportive and effective mental health interventions for clinicians is limited. Offering psychosocial skill training for entrants in Gynecology Medicine is expected to be highly beneficial. Following this, the present pilot study focused on strengthening physicians’ psychosocial skills and analyzed the effects of innovative training for junior gynecologists working in German hospitals.

Methods

Coping skills training for junior gynecologists was offered as group training for 12 weekly sessions over a time period of 3 months. Physicians were randomized to either an intervention group (IG) receiving the training (n = 38) or a control group (CG; n = 40). Training content involved developing and learning coping skills as well as solution-focused and cognitive behavioral counselling for junior gynecologists. Study outcomes were (1) perceived occupational stress, (2) emotional exhaustion, (3) resilience coping behavior, (4) emotion regulation skills and (5) job satisfaction. Surveys were distributed at baseline (T0), after the training (T1), after 3 (T2) and 6 months (T3).

Results

Junior gynecologists (IG) reported a significant decrease in perceived job stress and emotional exhaustion from baseline to all follow-ups, whereas the control group did not show any comparable results. A clear positive value of the mental health promotion program was also noticeable with regard to job satisfaction and increased coping skills (i.e., emotion regulation). Overall satisfaction with the skill training was high: gynecologists reported high scores for training design, content, received outcome and overall satisfaction with the training.

Conclusions

In this pilot study, participating in a psychosocial skills training course adapted for gynecology clinicians was associated with reductions in perceived job stress, exhaustion and improvements in coping skills and satisfaction. Modified psychosocial skills training may be a time-efficient tool to support gynecologists in their performance and well-being, which may have positive implications for patient care.

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Abbreviations

ANCOVA:

Analysis of covariance

b :

Beta weight

BRCS:

Brief Resilient Coping Scale

CI:

Confidence interval

COPSOQ:

Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire

d :

Effect size

ERSQ:

Emotion Regulation Skills Questionnaire

N:

Numbers

M:

Mean

MBI:

Maslach Burnout Inventory

MD:

Median

PSQ:

Perceived Stress Questionnaire

SD:

Standard deviation

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Seewartenstrasse 10, 20459, Hamburg, Germany

    Stefanie Mache

  2. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Free University and Humboldt University, Thielallee 69-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Monika Bernburg & Karin Vitzthum

  3. Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany

    Stefanie Mache, Lisa Baresi & David Groneberg

Authors
  1. Stefanie Mache
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  2. Lisa Baresi
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  3. Monika Bernburg
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  4. Karin Vitzthum
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Correspondence to Stefanie Mache.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare, they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical considerations

Ethical approval was granted by the Institutional Review Board of the Free University Berlin. The study is in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all participating physicians included in this study.

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Mache, S., Baresi, L., Bernburg, M. et al. Being prepared to work in Gynecology Medicine: evaluation of an intervention to promote junior gynecologists professionalism, mental health and job satisfaction. Arch Gynecol Obstet 295, 153–162 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4223-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4223-6

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