Presentation
Enhancing Residents' Well-Being through Ergonomic Intervention in Hospital Educational Settings
SessionPoster Session 1
DescriptionBackground:
Medical professionals, particularly residents, are engaged in continuous learning, which is crucial for certification exams but often leads to significant mental and physical health challenges. A demanding workload in a risky stressful environment alongside long study hours lead to accumulative stress and even burnout, expressed by physiological and psychological distress. Prolonged sedentary study sessions, common among medical interns and residents, are associated with increased musculoskeletal discomfort, specifically neck, shoulder and lower back pain. Lack of sufficient sleep, due to night shifts, may lead to sleep deprivation, which is associated with impaired cognitive functions, reduced attention and frustration. Therefore, this continuous studying requires appropriate infrastructure, conditions and atmosphere, and residents use academic spaces in hospital that are available. Traditional medical library study environments often lack ergonomic support, missing the optimal design to reduce physical strain and hinder concentration. In 2020, a survey was conducted at Shamir Medical Center among residents, with the aim of identifying needs and improving the learning environment. The survey revealed that 53% of the participants declared low to very low satisfaction, thus an ergonomic intervention project was initiated. This project aimed to transform the library into a dynamic learning environment to mitigate the physical and cognitive risks associated with intensive academic demands.
Aim:
This study describes and assess an ergonomic intervention project implemented in a hospital medical library setting and surveys residents' learning efficiency, satisfaction and perceptions regarding the enhanced learning environment.
Methodology:
1. Designing and implementing an ergonomic intervention- a six-step project conducted by a multidisciplinary team.
2. A survey among the hospital residents.
Results:
The intervention was a collaborative effort, planned by the head of the medical library, a certified professional ergonomist, an architect, and the hospital engineer, and executed in six phases. These phases involved mapping areas for physical interventions, reconfiguring the main reading hall into distinct zones for group study and rest, and integrating various ergonomic components. Key components included technological aids (e.g., laptop stands, wireless keyboards/mice, large TV screen), spaces designed to increase concentration (e.g., private enclosed learning areas, a balcony learning station), accessories for postural diversification (e.g., kneeling chairs, electric sit-stand desks, beanbag chairs), and elements to encourage alertness and movement (e.g., TRX straps, stairs). Following the renovation, an instructional guide was prepared by a certified professional ergonomist, and library staff were trained to provide individual frontal guidance to users on the new ergonomic features. A 33-question survey was distributed via WhatsApp in November 2024 to 159 residents who received instruction, collecting data on the utilization of new spaces and devices, perceived benefits, and overall satisfaction. Responses were collected and analyzed using the REDCap system.
Out of 159 residents surveyed, 80 responded. The majority of respondents were residents (60%) aged 35-44 (68%). Library usage patterns indicated that 94% utilized the space for studying or research, with 62% using it almost daily before exams and 65% staying for more than five hours per visit. Primary motivations for library use included easier disconnection from external distractions (62%), the perceived comfort of the library (57%), and the difficulty of studying at home (57%). Satisfaction scores were high for several new features, with large TV screens (91.6%), private enclosed learning spaces (88%), electric sit-stand desks (86.7%), and wireless keyboards/mice (80%) receiving the highest ratings. Critically, the interventions led to significant perceived benefits: 80% reported improved concentration, 78.8% noted an enhanced ability for prolonged learning, and 78.4% experienced better overall well-being. Vigilance also improved for 67.2% of users.
Conclusion:
The implementation of a comprehensive ergonomic intervention successfully transformed a hospital medical library, leading to a significant increase in resident satisfaction and perceived benefits related to sustained learning ability, and overall well-being. These findings underscore the vital role of ergonomic design in supporting medical professionals' physiological well-being and scholarly performance during intensive training periods. Such initiatives provide a valuable model for strengthening organizational learning management and enhancing resident satisfaction within academic medical centers.
Medical professionals, particularly residents, are engaged in continuous learning, which is crucial for certification exams but often leads to significant mental and physical health challenges. A demanding workload in a risky stressful environment alongside long study hours lead to accumulative stress and even burnout, expressed by physiological and psychological distress. Prolonged sedentary study sessions, common among medical interns and residents, are associated with increased musculoskeletal discomfort, specifically neck, shoulder and lower back pain. Lack of sufficient sleep, due to night shifts, may lead to sleep deprivation, which is associated with impaired cognitive functions, reduced attention and frustration. Therefore, this continuous studying requires appropriate infrastructure, conditions and atmosphere, and residents use academic spaces in hospital that are available. Traditional medical library study environments often lack ergonomic support, missing the optimal design to reduce physical strain and hinder concentration. In 2020, a survey was conducted at Shamir Medical Center among residents, with the aim of identifying needs and improving the learning environment. The survey revealed that 53% of the participants declared low to very low satisfaction, thus an ergonomic intervention project was initiated. This project aimed to transform the library into a dynamic learning environment to mitigate the physical and cognitive risks associated with intensive academic demands.
Aim:
This study describes and assess an ergonomic intervention project implemented in a hospital medical library setting and surveys residents' learning efficiency, satisfaction and perceptions regarding the enhanced learning environment.
Methodology:
1. Designing and implementing an ergonomic intervention- a six-step project conducted by a multidisciplinary team.
2. A survey among the hospital residents.
Results:
The intervention was a collaborative effort, planned by the head of the medical library, a certified professional ergonomist, an architect, and the hospital engineer, and executed in six phases. These phases involved mapping areas for physical interventions, reconfiguring the main reading hall into distinct zones for group study and rest, and integrating various ergonomic components. Key components included technological aids (e.g., laptop stands, wireless keyboards/mice, large TV screen), spaces designed to increase concentration (e.g., private enclosed learning areas, a balcony learning station), accessories for postural diversification (e.g., kneeling chairs, electric sit-stand desks, beanbag chairs), and elements to encourage alertness and movement (e.g., TRX straps, stairs). Following the renovation, an instructional guide was prepared by a certified professional ergonomist, and library staff were trained to provide individual frontal guidance to users on the new ergonomic features. A 33-question survey was distributed via WhatsApp in November 2024 to 159 residents who received instruction, collecting data on the utilization of new spaces and devices, perceived benefits, and overall satisfaction. Responses were collected and analyzed using the REDCap system.
Out of 159 residents surveyed, 80 responded. The majority of respondents were residents (60%) aged 35-44 (68%). Library usage patterns indicated that 94% utilized the space for studying or research, with 62% using it almost daily before exams and 65% staying for more than five hours per visit. Primary motivations for library use included easier disconnection from external distractions (62%), the perceived comfort of the library (57%), and the difficulty of studying at home (57%). Satisfaction scores were high for several new features, with large TV screens (91.6%), private enclosed learning spaces (88%), electric sit-stand desks (86.7%), and wireless keyboards/mice (80%) receiving the highest ratings. Critically, the interventions led to significant perceived benefits: 80% reported improved concentration, 78.8% noted an enhanced ability for prolonged learning, and 78.4% experienced better overall well-being. Vigilance also improved for 67.2% of users.
Conclusion:
The implementation of a comprehensive ergonomic intervention successfully transformed a hospital medical library, leading to a significant increase in resident satisfaction and perceived benefits related to sustained learning ability, and overall well-being. These findings underscore the vital role of ergonomic design in supporting medical professionals' physiological well-being and scholarly performance during intensive training periods. Such initiatives provide a valuable model for strengthening organizational learning management and enhancing resident satisfaction within academic medical centers.
Event Type
Poster Presentation
TimeMonday, March 234:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
LocationRhinelander Gallery
Hospital Environments