Dr Melanie Newton1, Ms Katie Martin1, Mr Simon Rosser2, Dr Andrew Yeates1
1Royal Perth Bentley Group, Perth, Australia, 2East Metropolitan Health Service, Perth, Australia
Biography:
Dr Newton is a respected leader and Clinical Psychologist with over 17 years’ experience in medical and mental health inpatient and outpatient services in the tertiary hospital and private settings. Her track record in project management, model of care development and business cases aligned with strategic priorities has given her a unique insight into workplace design and workforce issues. She has dedicated her career to evidence-based practices including the development of a learning and development program at Royal Perth Bentley Group. Her latest initiative, the ACTive Workplace Program, was recently acknowledged in the East Metropolitan Health Service Excellence Awards.
Abstract:
There is growing concern about the personal and organisational consequences of burnout in the workplace. This has intensified in recent years with the introduction of new work health and safety laws that includes psychosocial hazards. Mitigation strategies for psychosocial risks have generally included some form of stress management approach. Workplace stress management programs commonly utilise mindfulness interventions however the impact on stress, burnout and ultimately staff turnover has been variable. There is growing interest in the role of psychological flexibility and resilience in protecting the workforce against stress and burnout. This current trial contributes to the literature by exploring the effects of acceptance and commitment training (ACT) delivered to staff in the same healthcare organisation. To date a total of 59 staff have attended the 4-session training program with measures completed pre- and post-training. Results indicated that the intervention improved stress, sleep quality, resilience, psychological flexibility, and burnout. Of interest, the program has positively impacted the intention of attendees to leave their position and the organisation within the next 6 months. We consider these findings and highlight the potential for inclusion of psychological flexibility and resilience in workforce development initiatives.