Pedagogical Wellness: A Call to Action for Interprofessional Education
Presenter: Dr. Teresa (Tese) Stephens
College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina (USA)
6 December 2024
14:00 UTC/9:00 ET
Co-sponsored by the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative (AIHC)
Moderator: Dr. Anthony Breitbach
Description:
Pedagogical Wellness aims to embed evidence-based wellness strategies into academic cultures, enhancing the well-being of educators and learners. While a limited number of institutions have adopted this concept, its application in interprofessional education remains unexplored. Given the alarming rates of academic burnout, with increasing numbers of faculty and learners reporting depression, moral distress, and other health effects from chronic workplace stress, this integration is crucial. Implementing Pedagogical Wellness into interprofessional education leverages the power of resilient teams to prevent clinician burnout from academia onwards, while fostering well-being and professional fulfillment among faculty and students.
Abstract:
Clinician Burnout is a public health crisis, often beginning in academia. In 2019, the World Health Organization categorized burnout as an occupational phenomenon arising from systemic issues leading to chronic workplace stress. The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified the crisis, leading to urgent calls for a radical transformation of health sciences education. Mental health and well-being have become a global priority for health professions students. Educators worldwide are urgently seeking strategies to support students in crisis while also grappling with their own chronic workplace stress. Integrating Pedagogical Wellness into interprofessional education could potentially serve as an effective strategy to prevent burnout and moral injury, while simultaneously fostering well-being and professional satisfaction among faculty and leaders.
Given the alarming rates of moral distress and academic burnout, integrating Pedagogical Wellness into interprofessional education is crucial. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness of systemic issues causing moral injury and burnout, especially among clinicians, educators, and health professions students. Academic burnout significantly contributes to the healthcare crisis, leading to mental health issues, reduced professional efficacy, high turnover rates, financial costs, and decreased quality of care. Addressing academic burnout via the building of resilient interprofessional teams is essential for improving the overall health and sustainability of the healthcare system.
Resilient interprofessional teams are vital in this context as they can better withstand and adapt to the challenges posed by chronic stress and systemic issues. They foster a supportive environment that enhances professional satisfaction, reduces turnover, and improves the quality of care. Building resilience within teams helps mitigate the adverse effects of burnout, ensuring that both educators and learners can thrive in a demanding academic setting.
Author(s): Teresa “Tese” M. Stephens, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE
Author email: stephent@musc.edu
Teresa (Tese) Stephens RN, PhD, CNE
Dr. Tese Stephens is a nurse leader, educator, researcher, and consultant with over 37 years of experience in both practice and academic settings. She has devoted much of her career to radically transforming the culture of nursing, advocating for compassionate courage in positively disrupting the status quo. She is the author of Stephens’ Model of Resilience and the founder and of RN P.R.E.P. (Personal Resilience Enhancement Plan). Her research is focused on RESILIENCE, specifically as a tool to promote well-being and professional fulfillment in nurses,
nursing students, and interprofessional teams. Much of this work is built upon the narratives of Holocaust survivors. Tese enjoys helping organizations build RESILIENT TEAMS to embrace collective efficacy to eradicate the systemic issues leading to moral distress and burnout. She is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and serves as a peer reviewer for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, as an Advisory Board member for the Coalition for Nurse Well-Being and South Carolina Hospital Association’s Workforce Development, and as an active member of the Relational Coordination Collaborative. She currently serves as the Associate Dean for Academics at the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Nursing.
Dr. Stephens received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Tennessee State University, her Master of Science in Nursing from King College, a post-graduate certificate in nursing education from the University of Tennessee, and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. She is the author of multiple publications and book chapters and a frequent presenter at regional, national, and international conferences and workshops. She lives with her husband, Scott, in Blountville, TN, and the Isle of Palms, SC. Her favorite role is as “Nonnie” to her beloved Emmie, Owen, and Murphie Jo.
Author email: stephent@musc.edu