Strategies first year doctor of pharmacy students use to promote well-being

Assessing Factors That Influence Pharmacy Student Burnout and Identifying Recommendations to Support Student Well-Being

OBJECTIVE

Literature indicates concerning rates of burnout and declining well-being among students. Although well-being initiatives have increased, a gap exists in identifying factors that impact pharmacy student well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors students perceive that influence their burnout and identify recommendations to improve student well-being.

METHODS

First- (PY1), second- (PY2), and third-year (PY3) pharmacy students enrolled in the didactic curriculum were invited to participate in this exploratory study. Focus groups were organized by program year to explore the experiences that may be unique to each group. A semistructured interview format was used to discuss factors contributing to student burnout and fulfillment, as well as solicit recommendations for strategies to improve student well-being. Inductive coding was used to identify themes.

RESULTS

Twelve students participated in 6 sessions: 1 PY1 interview (n = 1 student), 1 PY2 focus group (n = 2 students) and 1 PY2 interview (n = 1 student), and 3 PY3 focus groups (n = 2-3 students/focus group). Common factors identified as contributing toward burnout included having too little time, overwhelming academic workload, competitive culture, and noncoursework commitments. Factors contributing to student fulfillment included life outside of pharmacy school, well-being resources, and activities aligned with future goals. Participants recommended several strategies to improve student well-being, including curricular changes (eg, course schedule layout, pass/fail grading), culture strategies, and well-being resources.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the impact of workload and competitive culture on student burnout. This study fills a literature gap regarding the factors influencing student burnout and informs strategies for fostering student well-being in pharmacy education.

Pharmacy Students' Perspectives on Human Resource Management: An Examination of Knowledge and Attitudes

(1) Background: This study aims to examine pharmacy students' perceptions of their knowledge and competencies in human resource management (HRM) while also investigating their attitudes toward the educational content provided in a didactic HRM course. (2) Methods: A survey evaluating both course knowledge (pre and post) and attitudes was administered to students enrolled in an HRM class. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and measures of associations. (3) Results: All 98 course enrollees completed the survey (N = 98), revealing statistically significant knowledge growth across HRM topics from pre- to post-survey (p < 0.05). Notably, emotional intelligence, workforce diversity, conflict resolution, and recruitment strategies exhibited the most substantial increases. The expert panel session proved highly effective, with 71% reporting it as the most knowledge-enhancing activity. "Global and cultural effectiveness" emerged as the most valued competency, reflecting a positive overall attitude towards HRM. (4) Conclusions: HRM competency is one of the most fundamental skills for pharmacists, as many problems faced by pharmacy organizations and their solutions stem from the workforce. Pharmacy schools should therefore assess their curriculum to ensure that HRM is adequately addressed to meet accreditation standards and to prepare students to navigate HRM challenges in their workplaces post-graduation.

Scoping Review of Programmatic Well-Being Interventions and Outcomes to Support Pharmacy Students

OBJECTIVES

Recent literature highlights various well-being initiatives implemented across pharmacy programs; however, there is much heterogeneity in their implementation and limited studies assessing the impact and success of these initiatives on pharmacy students' well-being. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the effectiveness of strategies implemented by pharmacy schools to improve the well-being of pharmacy students.

FINDINGS

In total, 23 studies were included, and well-being strategies were categorized into 3 groups: organizational wellness programs, curriculum design and educational course activities, and specific relaxation or meditation activities. Strategies included yoga meditation, structured mindfulness courses, and self-directed mindfulness with digital smartphone applications. The majority of studies assessed outcomes of stress, burnout, and mindfulness, though other well-being domains such as resilience and belonging emerged. Some also assessed perceptions and acceptability of the interventions through qualitative approaches.

SUMMARY

Despite the heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures, this review provides a comprehensive scope of well-being domains, assessment tools, interventions, and approaches targeted at pharmacy students and highlights the strongest evidence for interventions on reducing stress. Pharmacy programs can benefit from approaches at both the organization level and those fostering individual accountability by exposing students to a variety of self-help well-being strategies that develop protective factors and motivate them to sustain well-being practices themselves as a shared approach. This scoping review addresses a critical gap by gaining an understanding of the current landscape of well-being initiatives and their effectiveness to better guide pharmacy programs on strategies that are most likely to improve student well-being.

Longitudinal assessment of pharmacy student well-being using the well-being index and 5 gears assessment

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to assess the level of pharmacy student well-being during the first 2 years of their didactic education utilizing the Well-being Index (WBI) and 5 Gears assessment.

METHODS

WBI and 5 Gears data were tracked monthly for first- and second-year students enrolled at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy from September 2019 to March 2022. Data were collected through monthly RedCap surveys, then de-identified and separated into 4 study cohorts (A-D). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Responses from 279 students were evaluated. WBI ratings showed variance across the first and second professional years of the program. Students also reported fluctuations in WBI throughout academic years, most often correlating with major events (scheduled breaks, COVID-19 pandemic). Similarly, the 5 Gears assessments results also changed throughout the study period, including variance within and between each academic year.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating well-being assessments into the co-curriculum has allowed us to identify when students are struggling with their well-being, provide tools and resources to help enhance their well-being, and opportunities to discuss struggles with their peers. Colleges of Pharmacy must incorporate holistic approaches to address all aspects of well-being, including consideration of how the curriculum is impacting the student experience as well as institutional approaches to well-being.

Female gender and low physical activity are risk factors for academic stress in incoming nursing students

PURPOSE

Nursing students suffer from stress more frequently than other students. The objective was to analyze the academic stressors that most affect new nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study on new nursing students.

FINDINGS

Two hundred and eighty-two students, 78% women, mean age of 21.46 (6.1) years. Giving presentations in class and lack of time for homework are the items that cause the greatest academic stress. Women had higher levels of academic stress, and higher levels of physical activity are related to lower academic stress.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Women have a higher level of academic stress. Doing sport is a protective factor that diminishes academic stress the more it is practiced. Encouraging nursing students to play sports could be beneficial in reducing their academic stress, with women benefiting the most.

A Scoping Review of Well-being Assessment and Interventions in Student Pharmacists

Objective. To review the literature assessing student pharmacist well-being and the impact of well-being-associated interventions.Findings. Of the 15 studies included, six assessed student pharmacist well-being while nine evaluated the impact of a well-being intervention. While various approaches exist to assessing student pharmacist well-being, the body of literature suggests, overall, that student pharmacist well-being is poor. Since well-being is multifaceted and individualized, some pharmacy schools have identified various ways to incorporate tailored well-being activities, including mindfulness, into required, elective, and cocurricular experiences within the Doctor of Pharmacy program, with varying outcomes.Summary. This review highlights the limited and variable information available on the assessment of student pharmacist well-being as well as unique strategies to incorporate well-being initiatives into Doctor of Pharmacy curricula. Schools of pharmacy should identify the well-being needs of student pharmacists through a standardized well-being assessment instrument and provide meaningful well-being resources and interventions within the curriculum. There is a growing need for faculty to invest in student pharmacist mental wellness in addition to academic success. Future accreditation standards will inform the Academy on how to advance well-being initiatives.

Check-In: An Educational Activity to Address Well-Being and Burnout among Pharmacy Students

Background: Chronic workplace stress that has not been adequately managed can result in burnout. Healthcare providers; including pharmacists, may be particularly susceptible to this phenomenon, prompting the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo to develop an active-learning activity to teach and reflect on healthcare provider burnout, called Check-In. Methods: Check-In was comprised of a 20 min online lecture on healthcare provider burnout, two pre-readings that highlighted burnout among physicians, and an optional one-on-one session between individual students and a faculty or staff member. A reflection guide was also shared among students and facilitators where students had to rate their current mental health on a 10-point scale and reflect on questions focusing on energy expenditure, self-care, and self-compassion within the past, present, and future. Results: Check-In was rewarding and overall positive for students and faculty. The personal connection with members from the school and the strategic timing of the activity within the curriculum notably contributed to the success of the activity. The short duration of individual sessions was the key criticism of the activity. Further research at the University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy will be explored to assess the long-term impact of Check-In on student well-being.