Browsing by Author "Nault Connors, Jill"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Addressing Mental Health Needs of Health Care Workers through Peer Support Groups During the COVID-19 Crisis
    (Indiana University, 2020-12) Thornsberry, Tanner; Nault Connors, Jill; Welch, Julie; Hayden, Julie; Hartwell, Jennifer; Ober, Michael; Sotto-Santiago, Sylk; Draucker, Claire; Wasmuth, Sally; Boustani, Malaz; Overley, Ashley; Monahan, Patrick; Kroenke, Kurt
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Establishing a Novel Group-based Litigation Peer Support Program to Promote Wellness for Physicians Involved in Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
    (University of California, 2023) Doehring, Marla C.; Strachan, Christian C.; Haut, Lindsey; Heniff, Melanie; Crevier, Karen; Crittendon, Megan; Nault Connors, Jill; Welch, Julie L.; Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Being named as a defendant in a malpractice lawsuit is known to be a particularly high-stress and vulnerable time for a physician. Medical malpractice stress syndrome (MMSS) is a consequence of being named as a physician defendant in a malpractice lawsuit. Symptoms include depression, anxiety, and insomnia, which may lead to burnout, loss of confidence in clinical decision-making, substance abuse, strain on personal and professional relationships, and suicidal ideation. Although the legal process requires strict confidentiality regarding the specific details of the legal case, discussing the emotional impact of the case is not prohibited. Given that physicians often do not choose formalized therapy with a licensed professional, there is a recognized need to provide physicians with options to support their wellness during a lawsuit. Methods: The peer support model is a promising option to address the negative impacts to wellness that physician defendants face during medical malpractice lawsuits. We developed and implemented a peer support program to provide a safe, protected space for discussion of the personal impact of a lawsuit and to normalize this experience among peer physicians. Results: Physicians were receptive to joining a peer support group to discuss the personal impacts of being named in a medical malpractice lawsuit. Participants in this novel group-based program found it helpful and would unanimously recommend it to others who are being sued. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this pilot study is the first to implement and assess a facilitated, group-based peer support model for emergency physicians who are named as defendants in malpractice lawsuits. While group discussions demonstrated that symptoms of acute distress and MMSS were prevalent among physicians who were being sued, in this study physicians were receptive to and felt better after peer support sessions. Despite increasing burnout in the specialty of emergency medicine (EM) during the study time frame, burnout did not worsen in participants. Extrapolating from this pilot program, we hypothesize that formal peer support offered by EM groups can be an effective option to normalize the experience of being sued, promote wellness, and benefit physicians who endure the often long and stressful process of a medical malpractice lawsuit.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The use of peer support groups for emergency physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (Wiley, 2023-02-19) Nault Connors, Jill; Thornsberry, Tanner; Hayden, Julie; Kroenke, Kurt; Monahan, Patrick O.; Draucker, Claire; Wasmuth, Sally; Kelker, Heather; Whitehead, Anne; Welch, Julie; Surgery, School of Medicine
    Objective: To test the feasibility, receptivity, and preliminary effectiveness of peer support groups for emergency medicine physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and gain a better understanding of their experiences with peer support. Methods: This pilot study used a quasi-experimental design to assess change in symptoms of distress, anxiety, depression and burn-out before and after participating in a virtual, group-based peer support intervention for a duration of 8 weeks. Pre-post change analyses were performed using two-sided, paired t tests. Feasibility was measured by attendance data to demonstrate the use of the intervention. Receptivity was measured using a global change rating and net promoter score at the end of each session and 8-week period, respectively. During the final session, qualitative data on physician experience was collected and then analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: Twenty-four emergency medicine physicians participated in the pilot study. The attendance goal was met by 20 (24, 83%) physicians and 19 (22, 86%) physicians reported they would recommend peer support groups to a friend of colleague. Positive standardized response mean effect sizes indicated modest improvement in nine of 12 symptom measurements with marginal significance (p < 0.10) for improvement in guilt [20, Effect Size (ES) = 0.45] and depression (21, ES = 0.39). Qualitative findings revealed high overall benefit with few adverse impacts of participation. Conclusions: Results demonstrate high physician receptivity, feasibility, and benefit from participation in peer support groups. Promising signs of improvement in distress, anxiety, depression, and burn out symptoms warrant additional studies with larger sample sizes and more robust research designs to establish the evidence base for peer support in the physician population.