Character Strengths as an Antidote to Burnout Among Healthcare Trainees

Burnout among healthcare workers is a particular kind of occupational stress characterized by emotional fatigue, loss of energy and withdrawal from work. A character strengths-based intervention was designed to mitigate the effects of burnout upon medical trainees at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Over the course of a year pediatric anesthesia fellows will participate in four training sessions in character strengths with the intention of giving them increased tools for personal support and improved team dynamics. An introduction to character strengths, appreciating character strengths, mindfulness and character strengths, and character strengths at work and at home were the topics covered. The goal is to improve well-being by better appreciating the strengths in both themselves and others. Results of the intervention were assessed by self-report.