Making housestaff feel at home: impact of workspace interventions on anatomic pathology trainee wellness

TL;DR

Modifying a workspace for pathology trainees improved their sense of belonging and well-being with simple, low-cost changes.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that corporate-inspired workspace changes can enhance trainee wellness in healthcare settings.

Findings

Workspace modifications significantly increased trainees' sense of belonging.

Trainees reported improved well-being and positive feedback on food access and environment.

Interventions were cost-effective and could be broadly implemented in healthcare training spaces.

Abstract

To improve trainee well-being in a healthcare setting, we implemented changes shown to significantly improve employee well-being in corporate settings in an anatomic pathology (AP) trainee workspace at one large academic program and measured changes in trainee stress and well-being. An IRB-approved survey was distributed to trainees before and after implementation of workspace modifications, which included deep cleaning of the physical space, making storage space for personal items, improving access to perishable and nonperishable foods, arranging equipment to facilitate ergonomic use, and providing real and artificial visuals of nature. The survey incorporated evidence-based scales including the Ambient Belonging Scale (ABS), the five-item WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the five-item modified Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Scales, and the Growth Mindset Scale. Pre-intervention (n = 21) and post-intervention (n = 18) participants had scores consistent with a growth mindset, no significant anxiety state or trait, and above average sense of well-being. Compared with pre-intervention survey results, post-intervention AP residents who actively worked in the space had a significantly increased sense of belonging. Free-text feedback indicated that our efforts to improve the environment and to increase access to food positively impacted their well-being as AP trainees. We show that workspace interventions implemented at our institution significantly increased a sense of belonging for our trainees independent of their growth mindset, anxiety state or trait, and sense of well-being, which was high pre- and post-intervention. These simple and cost-effective workspace interventions can be implemented broadly to create a more supportive, inclusive environment for pathology trainees.

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