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SWeAT
SWeAT
Stress, Satisfaction and Wellbeing in Anaesthetic Training Study
Stress, Satisfaction and Wellbeing in Anaesthetic Training Study
STAR - Severn Trainee Anaesthetic Research
STAR - Severn Trainee Anaesthetic Research
Project Lead: Dr Alex Looseley
SWeAT was a collaboration between STAR, SWARM and WAAREN led by STAR. Levels of stress and burnout have never been fully explored in UK anaesthetic trainees. Job satisfaction, stress and burnout may impact not only the health and wellbeing of anaesthetic trainees – who represent a sizeable and vital NHS workforce – but also potentially impact the patients they treat. Exploration of these issues is required to identify ways to optimise the professional satisfaction and wellbeing of anaesthetic trainees.
The aim of this study was to provide current, accurate information to those involved in the training, mentoring, supervision, and management of UK anaesthetic trainees, and to help guide and inform the development of current and future resources designed to support this group. All anaesthetic trainees were eligible.
Participation involved:
A confidential online questionnaire
The potential for a more detailed telephone interview
Summary of findings
Summary of findings
The qualitative analysis identified three overarching themes: factors enabling work satisfaction, stressors of being an anaesthetic trainee and suggestions for improving working conditions.
Work satisfaction was supported by patient contact, the perceived value of contributing to good patient outcomes, and strong support at work and at home.
Reported stressors included demanding non-clinical workloads, exhaustion from multiple competing commitments and the cumulative burden of training requirements.
Trainees described a “love/hate” relationship with anaesthetic training, valuing clinical work while finding the overall training burden difficult to sustain.
Many trainees described feeling “on edge” or unsafe at work, with almost all participants discussing some degree of burnout or high perceived stress.
Suggested improvements included contracted time for non-clinical work, greater cultural acceptance that doctors can struggle and better embedded wellbeing support within organisations and anaesthetic training.
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