Addressing Isolation of Triple Board Residents

Addressing Triple Board* Resident Isolation
Triple Board* A Trainee in a combined Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program
Becca Powell, MD, PGY3
DISCUSSION
Over the two years in existence, this initiative has
provided 18 separate visits to 12 unique residents. At the
conclusion of the current academic year, we will total 20
visits.
Limitations & Barriers
• The date of providing birthday visits was expanded
from the day of the birthday to the week of the
birthday.
• In person visits were limited during COVID-19
lockdown.
Valuable Lessons Learned
• Recognition as a person with needs and wants
outside of the typical workday is invaluable to trainee
moral.
• Not all residents appreciate physical gifts. Other
tokens or shows off appreciation are needed.
INTRODUCTION
Annual internal GME Wellness surveys showed TB
residents were found to be more prone to burnout
when compared to their colleagues in other
University of Utah residency programs. A follow-up
TB focus group concluded one of the main drivers
of burnout is isolation. TB residents switch
departments, clinic and hospital locations frequently
during their training. Any resident’s home base is
relative to their training year, rather than being
established and fixed throughout training as is the
case with non-combined programs. This creates
physical and emotional isolation from co-TB
residents and fellow categorical residents.
Problem Investigation
There are currently 11 residents in the TB program,
spread across 5 years of training. They are
separated physically by 4 different hospitals, 3
departments, and more than 10 clinics. On a given
working day, residents are assigned to clinics in 3 or
more different counties. On a given workweek, the
hours spent working can be anywhere from 40 to
80 hours, with regular overnight and 24-hour shifts.
Given these logistics, spending time learning
together during work hours is difficult. Organizing
social time outside of work hours is challenging.
METHODS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Residents wished for increased recognition of their
existence and worth as an individual from their
training program to feel less secluded. To create
specific touch points of inclusion and connection,
the Birthday Box Initiative was started in academic
year 2019-2020 and continues today.
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
This is a grassroots effort by residents, for
residents. It will adjust yearly to their wants and
needs. Suggested improvements include:
• Handing off the initiative to another resident or
having multiple residents involved for birthday
deliveries
• Broadening the offering of gifts to no-material
acts of appreciation.
Special Thanks To
GME Wellness Program / Resiliency Center/ Rob
Davies / Amy Armstong / Katie Stiel / Karla Motta
Before: Overwhelmed / Anxious / Lonely / Suspicious
After: Happy / Surprised / Excited / Grateful

The Surgery Nutrition Availability in the Callroom (SNACk) Program
Introduction
sean.stokes@hsc.utah.edu @SM_Stokes
Sean M. Stokes MD MS, Ruth Braga MSN
Methods
• 40-50% of surgeons suffer from burnout
• ”Wellness” interventions have been proposed to
combat this problem
• There is little data on what interventions are effective
• Show that snack availability mitigates symptoms of
burnout
• Demonstrate value compared to other “wellness”
initiatives
• Assess efficacy for continued funding
• Demonstrate that implementation improves resident
perception of support by the program
Conclusions
Funds awarded from the GME
Matched by department
Assessment with post-intervention
survey
Statistical Analysis
Descriptive/frequentist statistics
Prospective Qualitative Study
Results
Pre-intervention
• The SNACk Program is effective in improving
resident wellbeing
• Departmental funding would be a high value (low
cost, high impact) to mitigate resident burnout
• Ongoing efforts needed to ensure that food
provided is satisfactory for everyone
Post-intervention
The snack program really makes a difference both physically and
psychologically. It provides actual energy sources that are quick
and healthy. Just as importantly, it is a great way for the program
to convey support for residents. Although Ruth was awesome
before, I really came to appreciate and feel gratitude for her
efforts and kindness conveyed through this program.
It is so important to have food available to us in the call
room. Often you do not have time to go to the cafeteria or
order food and that is the ONLY source of food for a long call
shift. When I don’t eat on my call shifts I feel like it is
dangerous for patients because I get tired and delirious.
All we want is free food and free parking!
My diet is primarily low in carbohydrates and High in
protein so I was not able to benefit from many of the snacks
provided. I find a high carbohydrate snack to usually have a
high glycemic index resulting in rapid absorption, insulin
spikes, leading to fatigue and the “food coma” feeling. This
is not conducive to long shifts.
Allowing me to
better focus on
my work
Improving my
general mood
Keeping me well
nourished in the
hospital
Making me feel
appreciated for the
work that I do
Having better
interactions with
my colleagues
Demonstrating
that my program
values me
Mitigating symptoms
of burnout
Increasing my
overall energy level
Preparing me
for the OR
100% felt the initiative was important to fund
86.2% felt the SNACk program should be prioritized over other
”wellness” initiatives.
62.5% claimed the SNACk program served as their primary source
of food while in the hospital
June, 2018 - $1000 Initial GME Funding Awarded
July, 2020 - Survey administered (followed by 2nd award)
Survey Response Rate = 80.6% (29/36)
How effective was the SNACk program in…
Call Room Food
Re-supplied every
2 weeks
Survey identifying
food needs
Intervention
Survey administered
assessing impact
Aims
Very Effective Somewhat Effective
Neither effective
nor ineffective
Somewhat Ineffective Very Ineffective N/A
Average Budget = $248.60 per month
Estimated minimal support required to sustain
annual funding = $3000/year
Positive feedback on the program:
Negative feedback due to food selection:

From bystander to advocate: An Interdisciplinary EDI Group
Sugar House Health Center Primary Care & Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Tiffany Ho MD MPH; Bernadette Kiraly MD; Josie McNeill MA; Amber Whitaker MA
REFLECTIONS
The Equality Alliance has gained visibility
and gathered attention indicating
untapped interest exists.
• Policies have not been created that allow the posting
of educational material.
• Designating time for all staff & faculty trainings
• Training is optional and limited
• Need to incorporate training with onboarding new
staff
• Empower a Leader with Time and Passion
• Hold frequent meetings (twice a month)
• Prioritize Group Check Ins
• Create Safety and Support
• Create structure – agenda, action items, & follow up
• Solicit administrative support and sponsorship
• Develop Partnerships:
• Transgender Health Program
• Office of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
INTRODUCTION
The ongoing and increased trauma of Black,
Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and
marginalized communities in 2020 was increasing
emotional distress in our workforce. Staff and faculty
felt powerless but motivated to advocate for
change. On June 5, 2020 we kneeled for 8:46 in
memory of George Floyd. The grief and sadness
was followed by a desire for action.
We created a safe space and listened. This is what
we heard.
MISSION
To identify practices, policies, and structures that perpetuate
systemic “–isms” in the Sugar House Primary Care space and
recommend changes to create a culture and environment of
active anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
NEXT STEPS
• Expanding from Primary Care to the entire Sugarhouse
Health Center
• Assisting in system level meetings and changes
Awareness Calendar (themes drive announcements)
Feb: Black History Month
Mar: Women's History Month
Apr: Diversity Month
May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
/ Mental Health Awareness Month
Jun: PRIDE
Sept: Hispanic Heritage Month
Nov: National Native American Heritage Month
Trainings: Pronouns, LGBTQI care
Microaggression – Calling In & Calling Out
Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO)
System Level Changes through Meetings
Posters in Work Space
Patient Facing Inclusion Posters
"Equality Minute" at monthly clinic-wide meetings
Monthly educational posts in Sugar Beat Newsletter
I came today because I
hope I am not a racist.
“ “
Everyone deserves a
safe & inclusive
workspace.
“ “
I believe it is important
to sponsor anti-racist work.
“ “

“Space to Open Up”: Cultivating Compassionate Community
Department of Pediatrics
Katie Gradick, MD, MHS, Zhining Ou, MS, Dave Sandweiss, MD
DISCUSSION
Qualitative feedback for the sessions was extremely
positive, highlighting appreciation for mindfulness
exercises, time to connect and reflect with peers, and
reconnecting with meaning in medicine.
• The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted
residents’ experiences of stress in 2020
• Surveys were completed by anonymous participants,
preventing us from obtaining p-values without
knowing the data were independent or paired samples
• A formally designed study is needed to properly
assess the association between the curriculum and
stress and mindfulness
Our study suggests that a low-cost, reproducible,
monthly wellness curriculum led to a trend toward
decreased and increased mindfulness stress
among residents and fellows.
References: Mahan, JD. Burnout in Pediatric Residents and Physicians: A Call to Action
Pediatrics Mar 2017, 139 (3) e20164233; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-4233
A]
INTRODUCTION
Data in pediatric residents suggest more than half of
trainees experience burnout. Factors that have been
identified as protective include:
• empathy
• self-compassion
• mindfulness
• quality of life
• confidence in providing compassionate care.
We hypothesized that a protected, longitudinal noon
conference curriculum, focused on fostering
meaningful connection with peers, promoting self-
care, and building skills in mindfulness would
improve trainee wellbeing and decrease stress.
We sought to evaluate the impact of the curriculum
on resident stress and mindfulness.
Pediatric residents in years 1-3 of training participated in a monthly, opt-
in, protected noon conference, facilitated by a fellow and/or attending
physician. Sessions remain ongoing, but were evaluated over an 18-
month interval (December 2018-May 2020). The sessions were closed
to medical students and faculty.
We administered anonymous surveys in August 2019 and May 2020,
based on the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the 15-item
Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15). We also obtained
monthly qualitative feedback on each session (see quotes). For the final
3 months of the study period, the program was offered in a hybrid
virtual/in-person setting, due to COVID-19.
Session topics included vulnerability, impostor syndrome, gratitude,
grief, wonder, arts and humanities in medicine, connection, self-care,
and neuroplasticity. All sessions included topic introduction, paired
discussion, opportunity for large group reflection, and mindfulness
exercises.
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Protected space for reflection, bonding, and
sharing appears to be a promising component of
trainee wellness.
We plan to expand this curriculum to other
residency programs within the University of Utah,
and to create a replicable version on a national
platform such as MedEd Portal.
1. Attendance averaged 15-20 residents per session in the 18
sessions measured. 34 residents replied to the 2019 survey, and 24
responded to the 2020 survey.
2. We were able to identify trends towards decreased stress and
increased mindfulness in the 2020 samples (53% of the answers
favored less stress/increased mindfulness, compared to 37% in
2019).
“
“
Really appreciate the
scheduled time and space to
open up and reflect on our
feelings and experiences!
It is so refreshing to have a true
break from work or learning to
focus on ourselves. Providing
specific ideas and actions that
can be taken to address the
topics brought up is helpful.
“
“

Thriving in Pediatrics: Great Patient Care Starts with a Thriving Team
Ryan S., Fredericks L., Sacharny A., Buhler A., Sandweiss D., Tam R., Giardino A., Orton K.
DISCUSSION
Through the development of a variety of programs and
activities including wellness retreats, fun/engaging photo
activities, book clubs and Newsletters, we have started to
prioritize faculty and staff wellness in the Department of
Pediatrics
• Over the past year, the pandemic has placed some
obstacles for Wellness Division plans.
• Initial engagement and idea brainstorming can be
challenging.
• Coordinating projects due to differences in personal
schedules
• Developing a mission statement and and defining
roles can be helpful during the creation of new
leadership positions, such as the Wellness Champions.
• Dyads provide valuable connections within Divisions
and result in better efficiency and bigger impact.
References: [DELETE IF NA]
INTRODUCTION
Since 2019, The Department of Pediatrics has
nurtured a wellness ecosystem called Thriving in
Pediatrics (TIP). The TIP Leadership Team, through
the support of the Department Chair, is comprised of
both faculty and staff.
Leaders organize wellness initiatives across the
Department’s 22 Divisions, supported through t
efforts of self-selected Division Wellness Champions
and Dyads (one faculty and one staff member per
Division).
Dyads build a culture of connection, collaboration,
and community through activities that cultivate
mindfulness, awareness, and engagement.
Burnout and job fatigue are common in academic
medicine and the recent pandemic has only
exacerbated these experiences. By focusing on a
culture of wellness through creation of Division
Wellness Champions and Dyads, the Department of
Pediatrics hopes to develop a supportive culture
focused at individual, Division, and Department
levels.
Division activities include disseminating institutional wellness resources,
modeling and teaching the values of wellness, encouraging
collaboration, and improving communication.
These efforts have taken the form of monthly wellness submissions for
the Department Newsletter, home office certification, food drives,
mindfulness retreats, pet-picture submissions, and the creation of an
empathic communication curriculum.
In addition, Division Wellness Champions have implemented a variety of
activities including Meet-and-Greets, weekly wellness check-ins during
staff meetings, book clubs, and monthly “communication sessions”
facilitated by Utah Resiliency Center staff.
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
We look forward to growing the Department of
Pediatric wellness ecosystem through continued
collaboration and community-building across our
many Divisions.
1. Turning the home office into a “Well Office” was started in January
2021. With completion of a15 action items that included space
design, colleague connection, nutrition, physical activity, mindset
and stress management/productivity.
2. Each Division chooses a Wellness topic and creates a submission
with resources, poems, book recommendations, and personal
reflections to the Monthly Newsletter. Topics, so far, have included
gratitude, finding meaning, pacing and positive emotions, curiosity,
diversity, and empathetic joy.
3. At the Division level, Dyads have led wellness check-ins which
allow a variety of wellness projects to be discussed: running groups,
“communications sessions,” book clubs, mindfulness retreat
opportunities, and wellness check-ins with Resiliency Center
liaisons.
Newsletter Link:
https://www.ped.med.utah.edu/dop/?page_id=313
Newsletter Example Resource

Learning through Literature: Anti-Racism Book Club
Kristen Durbin, MD, Nate Hayward, MD, MSc, Melanie Nelson, MD, Pamela Carpenter, MEd
DISCUSSION
Overall, the ARWG book club has been quite
successful in its inaugural year. We plan to
continue it during the next academic year and
hope to increase trainee and faculty participation
while strengthening community through in-
person sessions. We were able to hold our final
session in person in light of more flexible COVID
restrictions.
• Social distancing requirements necessitated
virtual format
• Participation limited by baseline residency time
constraints/scheduling conflicts
• Authorship of selected works focused on Black
authors; broader representation might be
pursued in future sessions
INTRODUCTION
• As pediatricians in training, we recognize we
have been complicit in perpetuating racism
and inequity among marginalized patients,
especially those who identify as Black,
indigenous and people of color.
• It is crucial that we critically examine our
personal biases and socialization that both
contribute to and have been shaped by
systemic racism.
• The Pediatrics Antiracism Working Group
(ARWG) was formed in June 2020 to
confront and dismantle social injustice and
systemic racism within the hospital and in
the pediatric residency program;
membership is composed of more than 50
individuals committed to concrete action
against racism in medicine.
• The mission of the ARWG is to ensure that
the medical school, pediatrics residency
programs, and clinical spaces are safe,
welcoming and inclusive venues for people
of color and other underrepresented
minority community members.
METHODS + CONCEPTUALIZATION
• Engaging in frank, vulnerable discussion of our own ingrained
racism is an initial but necessary step to facilitate the equally
necessary but arduous work of dismantling racism within
medicine.
• One of many initiatives facilitated by the ARWG is a quarterly
book club open to all pediatric residents, fellows and faculty
educators who seek to engage in meaningful dialogue
around racism in medicine, American society, and the world
at large.
• By engaging in this book club during the past academic year,
we have built community among fellow trainees and
mentors, while empowering ourselves with the tools and
knowledge to educate others and advocate for our patients
and greater community.
• The club met four times to discuss fiction and nonfiction texts
(shown below) via Zoom in August 2020, November 2020,
February 2021, and in person in May 2021.
RESULTS
• Held quarterly discussions on four books by
Black authors about racism in medicine, the
carceral system, and American society.
• Wellness grant funding allowed purchase of 12
physical copies of each book, housed in the
Pediatrics residency office Antiracism Library for
resident, fellow and faculty use.
• To date, 19 residents, 5 fellows and 8 faculty
members have participated in the book club, in
addition to 5 medical students from within and
outside the University of Utah.
• Twelve participants have engaged in more than
one discussion. Notably, 100% of participants
who completed post-participation surveys
report overall positive impression of sessions.

Thriving in Pediatrics: Meet-and-Greets
DISCUSSION
We hosted two Meet-and-Greets that seemed
beneficial to the inpatient physician community.
• COVID-19 limited gathering
• Knowing when to safely resume
• Survey response rate
• In-person communication matters.
• People can put a face to a name.
• It is enjoyable. It can lead to connection and
collaboration.
• The authors have all been able to develop personal
relationships during planning meetings which we
also find to be beneficial.
INTRODUCTION
As Divisions within the Department of Pediatrics
continue to grow, it becomes more difficult to stay
connected and promote collaboration. It is
important to encourage, develop, and maintain
professional relationships between divisions working
toward the same goal of providing high quality
patient care. Three inpatient Divisions, Critical Care,
Hospital Medicine, and Emergency Medicine, all
work closely together on a daily basis with
transitions of care for patients. The book Humble
Leadership by Edgar and Peter Schein, describes
development of personal relationships in the
workplace leading to more openness, trust and
psychological safety. We hoped to create an
environment of social wellness by providing an
intentional safe space to develop personal
relationships.
Problem
A deliberate space to socially meet colleagues from
different Divisions in-person did not exist. We
focused on creating this space in hopes to improve
collaboration, communication and mutual respect
to overcome the barriers of:
• Rapid increase in faculty in each division
• Limited social interactions
In January 2020, we held our first Meet-and-Greet with faculty from the
Critical Care, Hospital Medicine, and Emergency Medicine Divisions. We
provided food and drinks, and commenced with a brief mindful
moment.
We initially planned a meet each quarter and were able to hold our
second gathering just prior to the pandemic, on March 5th 2020.
Due to the pandemic, additional Meet-and-Greets were cancelled, but
intend to resume soon. At each meeting, a brief survey was provided
and included the following questions:
1. Which Division are you from?
2. Is this your first time?
3. Did you put a name to a face?
4. Did you meet someone completely new today?
5. Feedback on time/frequency of these events?
6. Additional suggestions/comments
RESULTS
Next Steps
• Continue quarterly Meet-and-Greets.
• Include other Divisions to reach our goal of
developing department-wide collaborations and
improving communication and mutual respect.
• “Highlighting” a few people from each division to
include both personal and professional information
to further foster connection and collaboration.
• Encourage more survey responses for ongoing
feedback and improvement.
• Make changes as needed
2. Some responses included: ”Love this,” “Great times,” “Really
enjoyed this,” and “both times I have come, I was able to quickly
touch base about an important project with a faculty from a
different division.”
“It’s great to have a space to meet people
from divisions we interact with on a regular
bases, especially as someone who didn’t
train here”
“ “
1. The first Meet-and-Greet, only 8 of the approximately 25 people
responded, but at the second meet-and-greet, 18 of the 30
people responded.
3. At the second gathering, there was equal representation from
each Division and 50% new attendees. 100% responded that they
“put a name to a face” and 83% met someone new.
Sydney Ryan, Kristi Glotzbach, Rebecca Purtell, Reena Tam

Internal Medicine Residency Program Space Transformation
Department of Internal Medicine
Dori Knight
DISCUSSION
Utilizing the Wellness and Integrative Health Seed Grant
Program, an initiative that encourages faculty and staff
to propose projects that will inspire the campus and
clinical community to take responsibility for their health,
I applied for an award that would fund four standing
desks and one treadmill desk, totaling $994.
Because of product availability at the time the funds
were awarded, different desks were purchased allowing
for extra funding to purchase a selection of healthy
snacks for our residents to have on hand, including
vegan options.
• Prioritizing the wellness of trainees and healthcare
providers should be a top priority among
institutional leaders
• Environmental wellness efforts should be factored in
to space design efforts
References:
Venkataraman Palabindala, MD,* Paul Foster, MD, Swetha Kanduri, MBBS, Avanthi Doppalapudi,
MD, Amaleswari Pamarthy, MD, and Karthik Kovvuru, MD (2012) Personal health care of internal
medicine residents. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives
Finch, Laura & Tomiyama, A. Janet & Ward, Andrew. (2017). Taking a Stand: The Effects of
Standing Desks on Task Performance and Engagement. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health. 14. 939. 10.3390/ijerph14080939.
https://employeewellness.utah.edu/wellness-seed-grants/
INTRODUCTION
A 2012 study shows that residents don’t always put
their own healthcare needs above those of their
patients, but that “residency is one of the most
exhausting and challenging periods in a physician’s
life.”
When not provided with immediate resources to
address their own wellness, residents are less likely
to take action.
Demonstrating that I was willing to invest in their
wellness by transforming their work space and
bringing deliberate wellness efforts to them, I
theorized that they would begin prioritizing their
own wellness.
The existing space provided for our 133 residents was small, poorly lit,
and provided sedentary work spaces. The use of walking and standing
desks has been shown to heighten creativity, increase productivity,
improve health and fitness, provide a greater sense of achievement,
and reduce stress.
Providing opportunities and equipment to incorporate wellness is a
simple way to invest in and increase awareness about wellness, but
most importantly showing residents to not only care about the health
of their patients but also be enthusiastic about their own.
RESULTS
The space was completely transformed with a few cosmetic changes,
including new lighting, a white noise machine, dumbbells, and both
standing and walking desks.
CONCLUSION
• Innovative thinking and utilizing campus
resources can have a big and lasting impact
• Wellness is more than physical wellness – it’s
also environmental wellness
This seed grant has resulted in residents
wanting to continue their training and
careers here in the Department of Internal
Medicine, and left them feeling cared for
and their wellness valued.
Caroline Milne, MD, Vice Chair for
Education and Program Director
“ “
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Aspirational Professionalism and the Cost of Bad Behavior
Department of Internal Medicine
Dori Knight; Aaron Bell; Mencily Lee; Mandy Skonhovd
ACTION
Changing culture on this level requires action that only
four individuals could not undertake. With a
Professionalism Committee of over 50 faculty, staff, and
APCs, all affiliated with the Department of Internal
Medicine and working at HCI, the Salt Lake City VA,
and the School of Medicine, we set out to influence a
culture of environmental wellness and respect.
• Most of our barriers were because we were in the
process of appointing a new Department Chair and
because of COVID. Otherwise, we were met with
encouragement, support, and people ready to do
the work.
• Departmental leadership buy-in and support is vital
to the project’s success
• Culture change is never-ending work and requires
continual commitment
References: PORATH, CHRISTINE. L., & PEARSON, CHRISTINE. M. (2010). The Cost of Bad Behavior.
https://casaa.unm.edu/inst/Personal%20Values%20Card%20Sort.pdf
INTRODUCTION
In Spring 2019, a request was sent to faculty, staff,
and APCs asking to join a Professionalism
Enrichment Committee to address workplace
incivility and its impact on environmental wellness.
Using an evidence based formula that factors
various cost outcomes from bad behavior, we
calculated the Cost of Bad Behavior – the cost
associated with employee’s uncivil behavior – a
staggering $12 million.
To improve our culture, we started at the beginning by evolving our
mission statement to be more inclusive of faculty, staff, trainees, and
patients. A committee was formed to explore a Professionalism Code
as an extension of the mission statement. We seek to challenge others,
but most importantly ourselves, to become more aware of our own
biases, behavior, and influence.
Awareness came from engaging Committee members in various
activities:
• Quality Improvement Grids
• Defining Incivility
• Value Card Sort
• Developing the Code of Aspirational Professionalism
• Engagement Surveys
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Continuing the Culture Change
• Introduce the code during recruitment, include
components in offer letters, and reinforce in
orientation
• Actively champion a culture of professionalism
• Share our findings regionally and nationally to
promote a larger culture change
1. We formed a department group of and for faculty to continue the
momentum and address related topics.
2. We pivoted from a strategy on the external to focus on the
internal review of self and personal behavior, attributes, and
growth.
3. The resulting Code of Aspirational Professionalism has become
the foundation for a planned, annual Environmental Wellness
week that will incorporate a wide-range of subjects including our
EDI initiatives.
LEARN MORE
Use your smart phone or tablet to scan this QR
code to learn more about our project.
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The Resiliency Center’s Toolbox:
Check-In Questions
Emotion Coaching
Self Compassion
Wellness Champion’s Project
Department of Huntsman Cancer Institute: Wellness and Integrative Health Center
Kish Larson, BS, ACSM EP-C; Benjamin Smith, LMT; Darren Walker, Power Program Coordinator
DISCUSSION
Since January 2021, we have presented our project to
our teams within the Wellness Center; and we have
implemented the tools provided to us from the
Resiliency Center.
• Variable shifts and amount of staff in clinic
• Due to COVID-19, we were not able to gather and
feel as connected
• The simplicity of the tools made this very easy to
implement clinic-wide
• Staff buy-in and willingness to participate are crucial
• Walk the walk and others will more naturally follow
suit
References: Resiliency Center, “Wellness Champions Toolbox”, Accelerate University of Utah Health curriculum, . Available at: http://accelerate.uofuhealth.utah.edu/explore/wellness-champions-toolbox
INTRODUCTION
Our goal was to improve peer connection and
support within the Wellness Center by
implementing the positive psychology tools
provided by the Resiliency Center regularly
throughout the year.
We identified that staff in the Wellness Center
already have an above-average amount of buy-in
into wellness initiatives, along with strong support
from management to improve staff wellness.
However, staff expressed a lack of time or structured
resources in order to put Wellness tools into
practice.
THE PROBLEM
• Well-Check Survey Results: Job commitment
reported high, but Burnout and Compassion
Fatigue also reported high
• Peer Connection is low due to COVID and
remote working environments (less peer-to-peer
interactions).
• Personal and professional stress reported high
METHODS FOR IMPROVEMENT &
IMPLEMENTATION
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Our next steps are to:
• Continue utilizing the tools and introducing new
ones throughout the year
• Compare the most recent Well-Check Survey
results to see if any improvement has been
made
Our clinic leaders supported this project, implemented these tools on
multiple occasions, and staff feedback reports an improved team
connection and self compassion.
How:
• Developed department wide plan on implementation with leadership
• Presented our project goals to various Wellness Center Staff Team
meetings
• Providing the links to the Resiliency Center’s tool box to our staff through
our weekly newsletter, as well as printing hard-copies to have in our
workrooms
• Dedicating time and creating opportunity in our Staff and Team meetings
to implement these tools and practices
• Creating space in our weekly news letters to share new tools and staff
experiences.

Graduate Medical Education Wellness Elective
Katie Gradick, MD, MHS, Amy Armstrong, BA, Rob Davies, PhD
DISCUSSION
We have generated a novel wellness curriculum and
successfully offered this course for two years.
• Limited sample size (24 total trainees)
• Limited ability to scale this intervention, due to small
course size needed to maintain psychological safety
• Our study suggests that a low-cost, reproducible,
two-week interdisciplinary wellness elective can
decrease stress and burnout among residents and
fellows, while increasing a sense of meaning and
purpose in medicine.
References: [McClafferty H, Brown OW, Physician Health and Wellness. Pediatrics October 2014, 134 (4) 830-835; DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-2278
INTRODUCTION
Medical trainee wellness is a national priority, though
definitive data for what makes an
effective wellness program is lacking. Mindfulness,
positive psychology, effective communication, and self-
care have been associated with increased resiliency
and decreased burnout.
We sought to evaluate the impact of the elective on
trainee stress, communication,
teamwork, peer support skills, burnout, and teaching
for each cohort over two years.
Residents and fellows participated in a two-week in-person
elective course held for 4.5 hours (virtual) to 6 hours (in person)
each day. Coursework included didactic and experiential learning
in:
• psychological safety
• burnout/suicide prevention
• peer support
• grit and resiliency
• restoring balance
• difficult conversations
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
We will offer the course for the third time in
December 2021. We look forward to replicating
this intervention in booster sessions across the
University of Utah, and plan to submit this
curriculum to a platform such as MedEdPortal to
increase trainee access to these resources.
• medical error
• positive psychology
• identity and anti-racism
• arts and humanities
• conflict resolution
• teamwork
Honestly, every session has
been very valuable. I loved
the community, that
everybody was willing to be
open, vulnerable, and
engaged.
“
“
0 5 10 15 20 25
Attending the Wellness Rotation was worth my
time.
I would like to see this rotation continue to be
offered.
I have gained skills that will improve my
communication and teamwork.
I have developed tools to mitigate burnout.
I feel more connected to meaning and purpose
in medicine because of this rotation.
I would recommend this rotation to my peers.
I feel comfortable providing support to my
peers.
I feel less stressed after taking this rotation.
Strongly Disagree Disagree Neither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
All participants completed anonymous surveys at the end of each
week to provide quantitative and qualitative feedback on the
sessions, as well as an overall course survey. The two-week
curriculum was offered to residents and fellows across specialties in
2019 (12 trainees) and 2020 (12 trainees). Participants were asked to
rate statements from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and
responses were averaged across the group.

Our wellness team recognizes that employee engagement is varied in a
remote/hybrid work environment. Accordingly, we decided to promote a wide
range of virtual wellness offerings, including:
● Quarterly, six-week long wellness challenges that aim to prioritize mental
health, build resilience, contribute to positive morale, and promote healthy
lifestyle choices:
Q1: Hydration Challenge
Q2: Mindfulness Challenge
Q3: Walking Challenge
Q4: F.A.S.T. Challenge (Fuel, Action, Sleep, Thought)
● Consistent email reminders and Teams posts, providing wellness
resources, description of wellness offerings.
● Activity/ Wellness Tracking via spreadsheet and Walker Tracker app.
● On-going wellness seminars and community building “break-out” rooms as
part of our regular staff meetings; limiting meetings to 50 minutes.
● Successful shift of formerly in-person wellness activities to the virtual
environment, including weekly yoga classes and Club Eccles meetings
(walking club, craft club, lunch club).
Promoting Wellness and Community-Building Through Virtual Wellness Challenges
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library
Carmin Smoot, MLIS; Heidi Greenberg, BS DISCUSSION
Progress
• Quarter 4 Wellness Challenge to be completed on
June 4.
• Working at a distance has limited participation in-
person, affects those who prefer in-person activities.
• How do we engage/reach those who aren’t interested
in the wellness activities?
• What worked? Providing options and variety boosts
engagement.
• Prioritizing providing wellness resources that meet
the needs of everyone.
• It is possible to use the wellness program to alleviate
burnout and improve connections with our
colleagues!
INTRODUCTION
A recent workplace survey revealed that 52% of
Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library
faculty and staff are currently experiencing
burnout, continuing a trend that has remained
steady over the last few years. With these results
in mind, we seek to address the following issues:
• How do we avoid placing additional pressure on
library employees experiencing the effects of
burnout while encouraging engagement in
our wellness initiatives?
• Does our current wellness program promote self-
care and consider the difficulties employees
are experiencing related to social isolation,
higher stress, greater anxiety, and emotional
exhaustion?
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
• Continue with quarterly wellness challenges!
• Feedback- excitement about walking challenge,
individual activities. Will continue to engage
staff in physical activity challenges.
1. Wellness Office Gold Certification (July, 2020)
2. Wellness Survey (May, 2021)
○ Did you hear about EHSL’s Wellness Activities and
Challenges in the last year (July 2020-current): Yes, 100%
○ Did you participate in the wellness activities or challenges?
Yes, 93%
The Wellness Team has been instrumental in
raising awareness of activities and actions that we
can each take and tailor to our own individual
needs to prevent burnout, stay healthy and
promote unity in spite of the challenge of COVID-
19. Well done!
“ “
100% 93%
"Caring for Ourselves and Others During Difficult Times." Wellness Presentation, Trinh Mai,
LCSW, Office of Wellness & Integrative Health and the Resiliency Center, University of Utah Health

Pandemic Impact on Nursing Graduates’ Wellness
University of Utah College of Nursing; University of Utah Health; Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing
Scott S. Christensen, DNP, MBA, APRN, ACNP-BC; Denise Crismon, MPA, BSN, RN; Shirin O. Hiatt, MPH, MS, RN; Kelly J. Mansfield, BSN, RN
DISCUSSION
• Recently graduated nurses expressed
increased stress during the transition-to-
practice due to the pandemic. This stress
further compromised nurse wellness and may
have long-term impacts on the nursing
profession.
• Graduates noted loss of transition programs,
increased workloads, and a mismatch
between their expectations and the nursing
role.
• Some responses may have indicated
resiliency, including feelings of pride and
altruism.
BACKGROUND
• Transition from formal education to practice is challenging
for new nurses and new advanced practice nurses.
• Nursing graduates’ transition to new roles during the
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may have impacted wellness by
further increasing feelings of stress, inadequacy, and
burnout given changing work environments, hiring
practices, and education approaches.
• More knowledge is needed to understand the short- and
long-term effects of the pandemic on the transition from
nursing education to practice.
PURPOSE
• The purpose of this study was to describe and summarize
the perceptions of recent BSN, RN-BSN, and DNP
graduates as they transitioned from education to practice
from December 2019 to June 2020, during the initial
period of the pandemic.
METHODS
• Surveyed December 2019 and April 2020 nursing
graduates (n=82) from the University of Utah BSN and DNP
programs.
• Employed a descriptive qualitative approach under direct
management of a highly experienced nursing scientist
researcher.
• Developed and used a codebook to guide content analysis,
using a rigorous deductive coding process among two
teams, identifying concepts, and descriptively summarizing
results.
RESULTS
CONCLUSIONS
• Study findings suggest that the COVID-19
pandemic has exacerbated already difficult
nursing transitions to practice
• Nursing educators need to prepare for
unforeseen changes in the education
environment to enable successful transitions
during unexpected circumstances.
• Nursing educators need to partner with
employers to support the wellness of
transitioning nurses through continued
education and mentoring during the first year
of their career
1. Pandemic-related stressors included:
• Unemployment, underemployment, and job
misalignment (n=52)
• Difficult transitions to new roles (n=42)
• Adjusting to changing workplace practices
(n=38)
• Disrupted personal plans (n=25)
• Workplace safety concerns (n=16)
2. Emotional responses included:
• Anxiety (n=14)
• Altruism for healthcare work (n=17)
• Pride in the nursing profession (n=18)
It has been tough getting my feet under me
[during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic]. It’s been
a slow start and I feel like I’m not as
confident as I should be. It sucks having to
play the ‘new nurse’ card so far into my job.
“ “
I always knew that nursing was such an
instrumental part of society, but the pandemic
has highlighted this even more. I am very
proud to say that I am a nurse.
“
“

I’ve Got an Idea! Do IDEA Boards Facilitate Completion of Wellness Activities?
College of Nursing
Cheryl Armstrong, DNP, MS, RN & Jennifer Macali, DNP, MSN, RN
DISCUSSION
This pilot project was implemented to determine the feasibility
and efficacy of using an IDEA board to implement and
complete wellness initiatives within a College of Nursing.
An IDEA board is a tangible and visible place for ideas to take
form, a process that is transparent to all involved in an
improvement change.
• Small study group of wellness committee members.
• Findings may not be generalizable to all academic work
settings.
• There is value with using a visible and tangible device to
promote implementation and completion of ideas and
initiatives.
• Advice is to keep the device visible to all team members so
they remember to use it. Also keep the team apprised of
progress with the device and how it is being used.
INTRODUCTION
In any given academic department there are many ideas
discussed to promote wellness, yet it is often difficult to
move specific wellness activity ideas from the initial
conception stage to the implementation, completion, and
evaluation stages. In order to provide better follow-
through and completion of wellness activities, an IDEA
board was piloted by a Wellness Committee in a College
of Nursing.
• Analyzed baseline data and identified a lack of
ownership/accountability and follow-through with
wellness activities.
• Researched best practices for improving wellness
activity implementation and completion.
• One Healthy People 2030 goal is to strengthen the
workforce by promoting health and well-being
A pilot study was created to evaluate efficacy of the IDEA
board. The pilot study consisted of a mixed-method design
with an eight-question post-intervention survey.
The investigators gathered both quantitative and descriptive
data. Six of the eight questions asked were Likert-style
questions and two of the questions were short-answer format.
The pilot study was granted an exempt status by the
Institutional Review Board.
RESULTS
@
CONCLUSION
• Using an IDEA board to guide the process of
idea conception, implementation, and evaluation was
found to be beneficial.
• Plan to continue to use the IDEA board with ongoing
analysis/evaluation of efficacy.
• Plan to promote use of the IDEA board to all faculty
and staff in the CON
• Disseminate findings of study
1. Results of the pilot study were positive and encouraging.
Committee members found the visual representation helpful in
guiding the group through the process of idea generation to idea
implementation and evaluation.
2. Five activities were implemented, completed, and evaluated. See
above figure.
3. Those who used the board found it helpful as a guide to initiate
and complete a wellness activity.

THREE THINGS EMAIL – Emphasizing Wellness
Marketing & Communications (MarCom) – Strategic Communications
Aaron Lovell, Joe Borgenicht
DISCUSSION
Engagement Stats (3/16/20 – 3/21/21)
• Total emails sent: 2,190,006
• Avg. number sent: 22,577 (each email)
• Average unique opens: 11,463 (51%)
• Avg. unique click rate: 1,577 (14%)
Moving For ward
• Three Things email Morphing to focus on positive
developments: Recognize, Recover, Rebuild
• Will continue emphasis on individual and team
resilience and wellbeing
Limitations
• Would like to know how much Three Things has
contributed to actual engagement with Resiliency
Center, et al., resources.
INTRODUCTION – Three Things Email
The COVID-19 pandemic began with questions: What’s
happening? Am I supposed to go to work? How is U of
U Health addressing personnel and patient safety?
Where can people get tested?
U of U Health executives were faced with a challenge:
communicate critical messages, provide supporting
resources, and support morale.
From this, the Three Things email was born.
Approaching the Problem
Stress was a fruit of the pandemic, and it was
harvested in abundance. As senior leaders’ concerns
about faculty and staff wellbeing grew, wellness topics
became a priority for Three Things.
Michael L. Good, MD, U of U Health CEO, was a
primary driver of the effort and remained personally
involved.
SHOWCASING WELLNESS RESOURCES
Three Things had a nearly 60% unique open rate through the
first two months of the pandemic. We used this popularity to
support team and individual well-being by linking to resources
from the Resiliency Center, Accelerate, and others.
• The first Three Things email was sent March 16, 2020
• 98 Three Things emails through March 31, 2021
• 48 of those contained a wellness message (49%)
• First ”wellness-specific” message appeared March 18, in the
third Three Things email
• 82 in-message links to wellness or resiliency resources
• Additionally, all 98 emails included a link to the Resiliency
Center in the resources below Dr. Good’s signature.
RESULTS Three Things engagement remained high
“I wanted to tell you thank you [Dr. Good]
for your daily updates to us. It means a lot
to the staff to know that you care about
your staff.”
“These emails from Dr. Good are incredibly
informative, reassuring, level-headed,
empathetic.”
-Early feedback from U of U Health staff
“
“
Three Things FEEDBACK

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