Evaluating the effects of a mindfulness mobile application on student pharmacists' stress, burnout, and mindfulness

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.

Multi-modal mindfulness training and well-being for healthcare students

INTRODUCTION

Mindfulness is a mental state attained through focusing awareness on the present with calm acceptance of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This study evaluated impact of mindfulness activities on well-being of pharmacy and other healthcare students.

METHODS

Research participants completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires evaluating multi-modal mindfulness interventions. Due to the pandemic, sessions led by a certified mindfulness instructor were offered live online and recorded, supplemented by a well-being mobile app and reflective discussion component. Four composite scales were administered to participants. The Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) inventories measured resilient coping skills, awareness, and psychological symptoms, including stress, depression, and anxiety. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to determine scale reliability and validity.

RESULTS

Thirty-six participants completed both pre- and post-intervention questionnaires (n = 36). Significant improvement was found in well-being for BRCS, FFMQ-15, and WEMWBS measures (P < .05). Change in DASS-21 was not significant (P = .19). Mobile app use enhanced foundational mindfulness skills. Awareness, connection, and coping themes were identified from written comments.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of this multi-modal interprofessional intervention provides further evidence of benefits of mindfulness for pharmacy and other healthcare students. The mobile app and mindful movement with reflection improved all attributes measured by the composite scales. Further research may explore alternative multi-modal mindfulness interventions and incorporation into healthcare education curricula. Interprofessional collaboration is encouraged among faculty to enhance mindfulness while connecting healthcare professionals.

Avoiding Academic Burnout: Academic Factors That Enhance University Student Engagement

Burnout is one of the major problems in higher education and is linked to a decline in students' academic performance and achievement. Burnout, when prolonged over time and added to stress and high workloads, promotes the intention to drop out of studies, which translates into negative consequences for individuals and groups. Academic engagement is proposed as an effective alternative to offer solutions to improve the quality of education and counteract current negative trends. This study is based on a correlational-descriptive research design. It aimed to find out to what extent students feel engaged in their university studies and to identify and analyze possible correlations between engagement and specific classroom variables. To this end, a sample of 764 college students was studied. The result showed that students feel connected to and interested in their studies and that the area of knowledge impacts student engagement. They also indicate how learning strategies used in the classroom positively impact academic engagement.

A Multicenter Study Assessing Burnout and Work Engagement in Student Pharmacists and Faculty Members

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to characterize work engagement and burnout as well as potential demographic factors associated with each student and faculty member at 2 pharmacy programs in the US.

METHODS

A survey including the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9 (UWES-9) and a single-item burnout measure was conducted from April to May 2020. Demographic data including age range, gender, and other characteristics were also collected. Mean UWES-9 scores, scoring category results, and the proportion of the cohorts reporting symptoms of burnout were reported. Point biserial correlation was used to compare the relationship between UWES-9 mean scores and burnout rates. Regression analyses were also performed to assess variables predictive of work engagement and burnout.

RESULTS

Students (N = 174) reported a mean UWES-9 score of 3.0 (SD = 1.1), while faculty members (N = 35) reported a mean of 4.5 (SD = 0.7). Over half (58.6%) of the students and 40% of faculty members reported symptoms of burnout. Faculty members demonstrated a strong significant negative correlation between work engagement and burnout (r = -0.35), while students did not (r = 0.04). Regression analyses found no significant demographic factors predictive of UWES-9 scores in students or faculty, while first year students were less likely to report burnout symptoms, and no significant factors for burnout were found in faculty.

CONCLUSION

Our study found that work engagement scores and burnout symptoms were inversely correlated in pharmacy faculty members surveyed but lacked correlation in students. Larger, more robust studies should be conducted to further elucidate the relationship between work engagement and burnout.

How early career pharmacists understand resilience - A qualitative study of experiences, challenges and strategies

INTRODUCTION

Resilience assists healthcare professionals in negotiating challenges, remaining positive when experiencing adversity, and in constructively dealing with difficult work situations and environments. There is increasing research about how early career healthcare professionals, understand and maintain resilience but little is known about support early career pharmacists may need and value.

AIMS

To explore early career pharmacists' understanding of resilience, their strategies to enhance and maintain resilience as healthcare professionals and to identify resilience-fostering programmes they perceive could be implemented to support them.

METHODS

Three focus groups and 12 semi-structured interviews with a total of 15 hospital pharmacists and 10 community pharmacists (both less than 3 years post-registration) were conducted. An inductive thematic analysis of transcripts was performed to identify main themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

Pharmacists understood resilience as the capability to adapt to and learn from challenges and setbacks, which they can build through experience and exposure. Resilience in the workplace was challenged by their working environment and workload, which could lead to ego depletion, the transition from intern to registered pharmacist and working during the COVID-19 pandemic, which both added pressure and uncertainty to their role. Professional resilience was supported on individual, social and organisational levels and through self-care strategies. Pharmacists perceived mentorship and sharing experiences, experiential placements and constructive but challenging role play as potentially beneficial in building resilience during undergraduate studies and internship.

DISCUSSION

Pharmacists defined resilience constructively and identified challenges testing but also strategies supporting their resilience in the workplace. Workplaces can support pharmacists by monitoring workload and workplace relationships, creating opportunities for peer and mentor support and by allowing pharmacists to implement their personal, individualised resilience maintaining strategies. Early career pharmacists' experiences and insights would be valuable when considering the design and implementation of resilience-fostering programmes.