Abstract Details

Title Housestaff Wellness During COVID-19: One Department’s Approach

Topic Research Methodology, Education, and History

Presentation(s) Research Methodology and Education Posters (7:00 AM-5:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 037

Background Best practices to support neurology trainees during an unprecedented pandemic are unknown. Long working hours, lack of confidence in caring for patients with non-neurologic illness, and isolation from family and friends pose unique challenges that may warrant additional support.

Objective To support resident wellness during the COVID-19 pandemic, our neurology department provided internal process groups.

Design/Methods Our department, with assistance from psychiatry and neuropsychiatry colleagues, established internal process groups for residents. The sessions began in early April and met every 1 to 2 weeks. After the first session, a voluntary, anonymous survey was sent to all trainees to assess needs and optimize future sessions.

Results There were 7 one-hour sessions between April and May, averaging 5 residents per session. Topics discussed included working from home during quarantine, working outside of neurology, difficult emotional experiences encountered, and the impact of the pandemic on neurology training. Nearly all trainees found the first session helpful (Agree N=7, Neutral N=1) and 100% said they would attend the session again. Most would recommend the session to a co-resident (Strongly Agree N=1, Agree N=6, Neutral N=1). Based on free-text responses, trainees felt most comfortable with neurology faculty leading the sessions. Residents thought having separate sessions specifically for trainees who were deployed to COVID units and those who continued to provide inpatient neurologic care would be valuable. Housestaff who worked overnight shifts had difficulty attending daytime sessions. A neurology faculty member who also worked on inpatient units from March to May offered to meet individually with these residents. Anecdotally, residents found these individual sessions useful.

Conclusions Process groups are a helpful, simple intervention that can be easily implemented should another crisis arise. If we implement these sessions again, we will consider mainly neurology faculty-led sessions and tailored, group sessions for trainees with shared experiences.

Authors/Disclosures
Rebecca Stainman, MD (Nemour's Children's Health) PRESENTER	Dr. Stainman has nothing to disclose.
Lindsey Gurin, MD (Langone Orthopedic Hospital)	Dr. Gurin has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as a physician reviewer with Healthcare Quality Strategies, Inc. Dr. Gurin has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a consultant with Human Services Research Institute.
Robert W. Charlson, MD (New York University, Langone Medical Center)	Dr. Charlson has nothing to disclose.
Arielle M. Kurzweil, MD, FAAN (NYU)	Dr. Kurzweil has nothing to disclose.
Perrin A. Pleninger, MD, FAAN (NYU Langone Medical Center)	Dr. Pleninger has nothing to disclose.