Wellness and Stress Management Practices Among Healthcare Professionals and Health Professional Students

Abstract

Purpose Healthcare professionals experience stressors that begin during training and persist into their careers that adversely impact their well-being. This study aims to identify students’ and professionals’ stress levels, satisfaction with wellness domains, barriers to wellness, and stress management practices. Design This study was a cross-sectional self-reported survey study. Settings and Sample The study included students (N = 242) and professionals (N = 237) from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, social work, and counseling/psychology. Measures The Managing Health & Wellness in Health Professions Training and Practice survey was used to capture wellness practices and barriers among participants. Results: Students reported significantly higher perceived stress compared to professionals ( P < 0.001). Total wellness is significantly higher among professionals compared to students ( P < 0.001). A higher stress rate is significantly related to being female, having a lower wellness score, and facing more barriers ( P < 0.001). Intellectual health is the most valuable wellness domain for providers (M = 3.71, SD = 0.9) and students (M = 3.43, SD = 0.85), followed by spiritual health for providers (M = 3.4, SD = 1.1), and work/learning environment for students (M = 3.33, SD = 0.93). Professionals and students are least satisfied with their physical and financial health. Barriers include fatigue, workload/productivity in clinical practice, work hours, and burnout. Conclusions Healthcare professionals exhibit a variety of stress management practices, encounter barriers, and prioritize different wellness domains. Healthcare systems should incorporate self-care education into their curricula and implement systemic changes to foster a thriving healthcare workforce.