Honesty and Transparency, Indispensable to the Clinical Mission-Part III: How Leaders Can Prevent Burnout, Foster Wellness and Recovery, and Instill Resilience

Michael J Brenner; Gerald B Hickson; Richard C Boothman; Cynda Hylton Rushton; Carol R Bradford

doi:10.1016/j.otc.2021.08.004

Honesty and Transparency, Indispensable to the Clinical Mission-Part III: How Leaders Can Prevent Burnout, Foster Wellness and Recovery, and Instill Resilience

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2022 Feb;55(1):83-103. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2021.08.004.

Authors

Michael J Brenner¹, Gerald B Hickson², Richard C Boothman³, Cynda Hylton Rushton⁴, Carol R Bradford⁵

Affiliations

¹ Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, 1903 Taubman Center, SPC 5312, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; GTC Quality Improvement Collaborative, Durham, NC, USA. Electronic address: mbren@med.umich.edu.
² Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Quality, Safety and Risk Prevention, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
³ Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Boothman Consulting Group, LLC, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁴ Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ The College of Medicine and James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.

PMID: 34823722
DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2021.08.004

Abstract

The hidden epidemic of burnout exacts a staggering toll on professionals and patients, reflected in increased risk of medical errors, complications, and staff turnover. For surgeons, nurses, and other team members working at the sharp end of care, adverse events can amplify work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and risk of moral adversity. Visionary leaders are not content to mitigate burnout and moral injury; they elevate the human experience throughout health care by modeling wellness, fostering moral courage, promoting safety of professionals, and restoring joy in work. Part 3, Health Professional Wellness and Resilience, introduces the final pillar for advancing the clinical mission.

Keywords: Burnout; Depersonalization; Emotional exhaustion; Ethics; Moral resilience; Resilience; Well-being; Wellness.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Burnout, Professional* / prevention & control
Health Personnel
Humans
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*
Surgeons*
Surveys and Questionnaires