The Role of Personal Demands and Personal Resources in Enhancing Study Engagement and Preventing Study Burnout.

Using a 1-year longitudinal design, we examined the role of personal demands and personal resources in long-term health impairment and motivational processes among master students. Based on the job demands-resources theory and transactional model of stress, we hypothesized that students' personal demands (i.e., irrational performance demands, awfulizing and irrational need for control) predict perceived study demands one year later, and indirectly relate to burnout. Furthermore, we predicted that personal resources indirectly associate with study engagement via students' perceived study resources one year later. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of Dutch master students (N = 220 at T1 and T2) using structural equation modelling. As hypothesized, personal demands and personal resources at T1 predicted study demands and study resources one year later (T2, ß = .25-.42, p <. 05), respectively. Study-home interference [study demand] mediated the association between personal demands and burnout (ß = .08, p = .029), whereas opportunities for development [study resource] mediated the association between personal resources and study engagement (ß = .08, p = .014). Hence, personal demands and personal resources relate indirectly to students' burnout and engagement one year later via a heightened level of specific study demands and study resources. Accordingly, the present research expands the propositions of the JD-R Theory by proposing personal demands as a relevant factor for students' long-term well-being.

The Role of Personal Demands and Personal Resources in Enhancing Study Engagement and Preventing Study Burnout

Using a 1-year longitudinal design, we examined the role of personal demands and personal resources in long-term health impairment and motivational processes among master students. Based on the job demands-resources theory and transactional model of stress, we hypothesized that students’ personal demands (i.e., irrational performance demands, awfulizing and irrational need for control) predict perceived study demands one year later, and indirectly relate to burnout. Furthermore, we predicted that personal resources indirectly associate with study engagement via students’ perceived study resources one year later. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of Dutch master students (N = 220 at T1 and T2) using structural equation modelling. As hypothesized, personal demands and personal resources at T1 predicted study demands and study resources one year later (T2, β = .25–.42, p <. 05), respectively. Study-home interference [study demand] mediated the association between personal demands and burnout (β = .08, p = .029), whereas opportunities for development [study resource] mediated the association between personal resources and study engagement (β = .08, p = .014). Hence, personal demands and personal resources relate indirectly to students’ burnout and engagement one year later via a heightened level of specific study demands and study resources. Accordingly, the present research expands the propositions of the JD-R Theory by proposing personal demands as a relevant factor for students’ long-term well-being. (AU)

Midwives' occupational wellbeing and its determinants. A cross-sectional study among newly qualified and experienced Dutch midwives.

OBJECTIVE: Internationally, about 40 percent of midwives report symptoms of burnout, with young and inexperienced midwives being most vulnerable. There is a lack of recent research on burnout among Dutch midwives. The aim of this study was to examine the occupational wellbeing and its determinants of newly qualified and inexperienced midwives in the Netherlands. The majority of practicing Dutch midwives are aged under 40, which could lead to premature turnover. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire that consisted of validated scales measuring job demands, job and personal resources, burnout symptoms and work engagement. The Job Demands-Resources model was used as a theoretical model. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We recruited Dutch midwives who were actually working in midwifery practice. A total of N=896 midwives participated in this study, representing 28 percent of practicing Dutch midwives. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Data were analysed using regression analysis. Seven percent of Dutch midwives reported burnout symptoms and 19 percent scored high on exhaustion. Determinants of burnout were all measured job demands, except for experience level. Almost 40 percent of midwives showed high work engagement; newly qualified midwives had the highest odds of high work engagement. Master's or PhD-level qualifications and employment status were associated with high work engagement. All measured resources were associated with high work engagement. KEY CONCLUSIONS: A relatively small percentage of Dutch midwives reported burnout symptoms, the work engagement of Dutch midwives was very high. However, a relatively large number reported symptoms of exhaustion, which is concerning because of the risk of increasing cynicism levels leading to burnout. In contrast to previous international research findings, being young and having less working experience was not related to burnout symptoms of Dutch newly qualified midwives. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The recognition of job and personal resources for midwives' occupational wellbeing must be considered for a sustainable midwifery workforce. Midwifery Academies need to develop personal resources of their students that will help them in future practice.

Dutch veterinary graduates leaving practice: A mixed-methods analysis of frequency and underlying reasons.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of veterinarians graduated between 2009 and 2019 in the Netherlands leaving practice, their reasons for leaving and the relative importance of these reasons. METHODS: Study 1 (focus group sessions, n = 14) of this project was aimed at defining the reasons Dutch veterinarians have for leaving veterinary practice within 10 years of graduation. In study 2, the frequency of veterinarians leaving veterinary practice and the relative importance of the reasons for leaving identified in study 1 were investigated through a cross-sectional digital survey. A career in veterinary practice was defined as working in first- or second-line veterinary practice. Leaving practice was defined as ending employment in veterinary practice. RESULTS: The results of study 1 yielded 20 reasons given by veterinarians to leave veterinary practice within 10 years of graduation. One of the reasons obtained by this study was not mentioned in literature before: leaving veterinary practice as a pre-planned career path. Study 2 demonstrated that the mean percentage of respondents from graduation years 2009 to 2014 who left practice within 5 years of graduation was 16.8%. The most important reasons respondents gave for this career move were poor work-life balance, excessive workload, insufficient remuneration and perceived lack of employer support. CONCLUSION: A substantial number of veterinarians leave veterinary practice within 5 years of graduation. The most important reasons for this decision are excessive job demands or insufficient job resources. Furthermore, these reasons are a result of negative experiences regarding organisation of work, management and remuneration.

Exploring the Role of Personal Demands in the Health-Impairment Process of the Job Demands-Resources Model: A Study among Master Students.

Research shows that students experience substantial levels of burnout during their studies. This study explores the role of personal demands on students' well-being. After providing a conceptualization of personal demands, we examined the role of personal demands in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. Based on the Transactional Model of Stress, we hypothesized that students with high personal demands experience more burnout symptoms because they perceive more elements in their study as demanding (i.e., mediation hypothesis). At the same time, we hypothesized that the associations between study demands and burnout might be stronger for students with high versus low personal demands (i.e., moderation hypothesis). In order to test both hypotheses, we collected data from 578 master students. The data were analyzed with latent moderation and mediation analyses in Mplus. The results showed that students' personal demands predicted burnout symptoms via the perception of study demands. Personal demands did not moderate the relationship between study demands and burnout. The findings of the present study expand the JD-R model by indicating that personal demands relate to burnout symptoms via the perception of study demands. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Predictive Value of Three Different Selection Methods for Admission of Motivated and Well-Performing Veterinary Medical Students.

In search for valid and reliable selection methods that predict applicants' study motivation and academic performance during the 3-year bachelor's program at the Dutch Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM), this study aimed to (1) examine the predictive value of the three FVM selection methods for study motivation and academic performance (i.e., direct admission and weighted lottery based on secondary school grade point average [GPA], and selection based on non-cognitive criteria), and (2) examine whether type and level of study motivation could be of value regarding selection of well-performing students. Data from two cohorts at the FVM (n = 186) were obtained, including mean summed scores on study motivation (using the Academic Motivation Scale [AMS] and additional items) and several academic outcome measures; among others, analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed to examine differences between the three admission groups. Spearman's correlations and linear regression were applied to examine the relationship between study motivation and academic performance. Lottery-admitted students demonstrated a stronger extrinsic motivation than selected students (p < .05). Directly admitted students outperformed students from the other two admission groups on several academic outcome measures (p < .05). Only the level of motivation was related to academic performance (p < .05). According to the results, direct admission based on a high secondary school GPA in particular has predictive value for good academic performance during the 3-year bachelor's program of the veterinary course. The type of motivation seems to be of no value regarding selection of well-performing students, whereas level of motivation might be a useful criterion for this purpose.

Work engagement in health professions education.

Work engagement deserves more attention in health professions education because of its positive relations with personal well-being and performance at work. For health professions education, these outcomes have been studied on various levels. Consider engaged clinical teachers, who are seen as better clinical teachers; consider engaged residents, who report committing fewer medical errors than less engaged peers. Many topics in health professions education can benefit from explicitly including work engagement as an intended outcome such as faculty development programs, feedback provision and teacher recognition. In addition, interventions aimed at strengthening resources could provide teachers with a solid foundation for well-being and performance in all their work roles. Work engagement is conceptually linked to burnout. An important model that underlies both burnout and work engagement literature is the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. This model can be used to describe relationships between work characteristics, personal characteristics and well-being and performance at work. We explain how using this model helps identifying aspects of teaching that foster well-being and how it paves the way for interventions which aim to increase teacher's well-being and performance.

The Art of Staying Engaged: The Role of Personal Resources in the Mental Well-Being of Young Veterinary Professionals.

Health care professionals perceive transitions (e.g., from university to professional practice) to be challenging and stressful. The aim of the present research was to identify person-related characteristics that, in addition to work-related aspects, affect the mental well-being and performance of recently graduated veterinary professionals, and to reach a greater understanding of the role of personal resources in mental health and well-being. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, a questionnaire measuring work engagement as well as burnout and its potential predictors was developed and distributed to 1,760 veterinarians who graduated in the Netherlands between 1999 and 2009 (response rate 41%, of which 73% were females). An intervention aiming at increasing personal resources was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative methods. The intervention was designed so that participants could set their own learning objectives toward which they could work during a yearlong multimodular program. The results show that gender and the number of years after graduation have a small effect on exhaustion resulting in 16% of the veterinarians (18% for females) meeting the criteria for burnout in the first 5 years after graduation. Thirteen percent of respondents could be classified as being highly engaged. While burnout resulted mostly from job characteristics (demands and resources), work engagement resulted mostly from job resources and personal resources. Personal resources appear to have an important mediating and initiating role in work engagement and performance. Self-reported ratings of reflective behavior, proactive behavior, and self-efficacy were significantly increased after a yearlong resources development program. Practical implications are discussed.

Peer group reflection helps clinical teachers to critically reflect on their teaching.

BACKGROUND: Student evaluations can help clinical teachers to reflect on their teaching skills and find ways to improve their teaching. Studies have shown that the mere presentation of student evaluations is not a sufficient incentive for teachers to critically reflect on their teaching. AIM: We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two feedback facilitation strategies that were identical except for a peer reflection meeting. METHOD: In this study, 54 clinical teachers were randomly assigned to two feedback strategies. In one strategy, a peer reflection was added as an additional step. All teachers completed a questionnaire evaluating the strategy that they had experienced. We analysed the reflection reports and the evaluation questionnaire. RESULTS: Both strategies stimulated teachers to reflect on feedback and formulate alternative actions for their teaching practice. The teachers who had participated in the peer reflection meeting showed deeper critical reflection and more concrete plans to change their teaching. All feedback strategies were considered effective by the majority of the teachers. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies with student feedback and self-assessment stimulated reflection on teaching and helped clinical teachers to formulate plans for improvement. A peer reflection meeting seemed to enhance reflection quality. Further research should establish whether it can have lasting effects on teaching quality.