ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 91
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Promoting wellbeing and adaptive coping among family
medicine residents rotating in supportive hospice and
palliative medicine
Dr Airam Aseret Bontia, Portia Grace Marcelo
University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital
Residents caring for palliative care patients are considered vulnerable themselves. The impact of
caring for this group of patients can bring about emotional reactions like guilt, sadness, hopelessness,
loss, internal conflict, feelings of failure and questioning competence. Being in residency training
while expressing these emotions may not be possible because it may raise concerns about privacy
breaches, fear of stigma and worry on the negative impact on training and career.
Gaps identified in the course of a hospice and palliative care rotation are the risk of burnout and
compassion fatigue among residents, no avenue or forums to process emotionally significant
experiences (eg death and dying, family and caregiver issues, challenging cases), no way to assess if
they are already experiencing burnout and maladaptive coping, and no strategies to address possible
negative emotional reactions.
To address such issues and gaps and promote wellbeing among family medicine residents rotating
at a hospice and palliative care unit, an advocacy project was proposed based on good practices
observed in developed countries focusing on two processes: screening for burnout and debriefing.
It was proposed that the Maslach Burnout Inventory Abbreviated (MBI-9) be used for screening, then
Patient Death Debriefing Sessions (PDDS) and grief rounds be used as needed and towards the end
of the rotation to help residents process their experience.
The goals of the proposed interventions (MBI-9, PDDS and grief rounds) are to identify residents at
risk of or suffering from burnout in the course of the palliative medicine rotation, provide avenues for
healthy discussion regarding emotional reactions and provide needed emotional support.
After discussions with key stakeholders, this advocacy project to promote wellbeing and adaptive
coping among family medicine residents was implemented since May 2022 and is continually being
practiced at a tertiary government hospital in a developing country.
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