Individual psychological predictors of occupational stress of the surgeons on the example of orthopedic surgeons

Abstract

The practical activity of surgeons is an essential part of providing in-patient and out-patient medical aid in the Russian Federation. The orthopedic surgeons are at high risk of maladjustment due to the negative impact of job-related stress factors., and thus are more sensitive to psychoemotional strains in comparison with other professional groups. The effectiveness of the corrective effect of surgical treatment is closely associated with the risk of medical malpractice. Comprehensive assessment of psychoemotional state of the orthopedic surgeons reveals the subjective level of stress resistance as a health-saving factor in the context of rendering medical aid in the in-patient facilities. The goal of this research lies in determination of predictors of emotional exhaustion among the orthopedic surgeons due to their professional activity. The sampling involved 75 male staff members of the department of Traumatology and Orthopedics at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences and National Pirogov Medical Surgical Center. Assessment is conducted on the functional state, anxiety level, and peculiarities of coping behavior of the respondents, using a tested psychodiagnostic toolset and SPPS Statistics 28.0.1.0. As a result, it is revealed that psychoemotional well-being of orthopedic surgeons affects their overall behavior and the effectiveness of professional activity. Description is given to predictors of the symptoms of personality neuroticism caused by emotional exhaustion related to neuropsychiatric loads and risk of development of the chronic fatigue syndrome. The author establishes a proclivity for asthenia, emotional distress, rigidity, low activity level, and impaired mood among the orthopedic surgeons working in the in-patient care facilities.