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Abstract
Introduction Stress and burnout are prevalent among emergency department (ED) staff in the UK. The concept of well-being interventions for ED staff is a growing area of interest and research worldwide. Various interventions are described in the literature, yet little is known about the experience of ED staff in the UK of interventions designed to support their well-being. This study therefore aimed to understand their experiences of these interventions.
Methods Semi-structured interviews were carried out with nine members of staff from different professional backgrounds at a tertiary trauma centre in the UK between June and July 2023. The inclusion criteria were staff who had worked in a National Health Service ED setting in the UK for more than 12 months. Participants were asked about their experience and perceptions of well-being interventions delivered in the workplace. A phenomenographical approach was applied to analyse the narrative data.
Results The findings resulted in seven qualitatively different but related categories. Participants experienced interventions to be: (1) necessary due to their stressful working environment; (2) beneficial in supporting their well-being; (3) feasible in an ED setting; (4) inadequate due to lack of quality and accessibility; (5) improving with increased acceptability and support; (6) restricted by clinical and organisational factors; and (7) ambiguous in definition, measurement and individual interpretation. Space for facilitated reflection and role modelling by leaders were felt to be important.
Conclusions Job demands simultaneously necessitate and restrict the provision of adequate interventions to support well-being in the ED. These demands need to be addressed as part of wider organisational change including the provision of self-care facilities and opportunities, protected time for facilitated reflection, high-quality and accessible learning opportunities for personal and professional development, training for staff delivering well-being interventions and positive role modelling by leaders.
- emergency department
- staff support
- education
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Full interview data are available upon reasonable request.
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Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request. Full interview data are available upon reasonable request.
Footnotes
Handling editor Liza Keating
Contributors AB planned the study, conducted the interviews, co-analysed the data and coauthored the article. AB is the guarantor. NC co-analysed the data and coauthored the article. Both authors approved the final version of the submitted manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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