Details
Overview
Resident physicians encounter many scenarios over the course of their training in which they witness patient death and other distressing care events. Physicians are emotionally impacted by these events and may be ill-equipped to cope with these feelings, which can lead to burnout. Peer debriefing involves physicians coming together in a safe, confidential environment to discuss experiences, challenges, and emotions related to patient care. Peer debriefing has been shown to improve coping skills, reduce isolation and prevent burnout. Despite this, there remains an absence of formal strategies that prepare residents to provide emotional support to each other. We will discuss our curriculum for structured peer debriefing after difficult patient events with the goal of improving trainee coping skills and wellness. Faculty will discuss the burden of distress following adverse outcomes and review the resulting effects on physician self-care, performance, and eventual increase in burnout. Multiple debriefing tools will be reviewed with emphasis on one key tool which will then be used in a role-model role play. Participants will participate in small group role plays to practice debriefing a distressed trainee. There will also be an opportunity for large group discussion regarding implementation of peer debriefing programs at participants’ home institutions. We will share data from our pilot study using a two-session intervention consisting of a lecture followed by a similar small group session.Speakers
Reena Hemrajani, MD
Emily Pinto Taylor, MD
Noble Maleque, MD
Tracy Vettese, MD
Content Track
Wellness
Audience
GME
Program Type
University-Based
Additional Information
Year Published: 2024 - APDIM Fall Meeting 2024