Smart device use and burnout among health science educators.

PURPOSE: This study examines the perceived level of stress and burnout among health science educators related to smart device use. METHODS: An interdisciplinary health science research team was created to perform a literature review and design a survey and assessment instrument to investigate the level of stress and burnout among health science educators as a result of excessive connectivity to the workplace through smart device use. A total of 977 assessments were completed through distribution by program directors in athletic training, nursing, radiologic sciences, and respiratory care. RESULTS: Participants in the study, who represented program directors and educators in the allied health sciences, reported 70% of their smart device use taking place between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm, followed by 30% between 6 pm and 12 am. Slightly more than 60% of participants reported feeling connected to the workplace at all hours of the day. Emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment scores for participants were stronger than the norm as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. DISCUSSION: There appears to be a strong feeling of connectedness to the workplace caused by the use of smart devices (60.7%). Some surveyed educators appear to manage their smart device use better than others because 55% of participants indicated they sometimes ignore work-related items after hours. Although several participants demonstrated physical signs of stress and burnout, a causal relationship between use of smart devices or work connectedness could not be established. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, the null hypothesis was rejected. Significant levels of emotional exhaustion were seen in a subset of study participants. Our findings indicate that emotional exhaustion occurs when healthy boundaries are not maintained for smart device use for work purposes after hours.

Self-reported comfort in athletic training of gender-specific and non-gender-specific injuries and issues.

CONTEXT: To assist athletes in maintaining optimal health, athletic trainers must work with athletes of both sexes. OBJECTIVE: To examine athletic trainers' comfort levels in providing care for gender-specific and non-gender-specific injuries and issues. DESIGN: We mailed 235 Gender Comfort in Athletic Training Questionnaires to program directors, who were asked to distribute and collect them. SETTING: We randomly selected 21 athletic training education program directors and invited them by e-mail to participate in the study. Fourteen program directors representing the 10 National Athletic Trainers' Association districts agreed to participate. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 192 participants returned completed questionnaires, for a response rate of 82% (103 women, 89 men; 101 senior athletic training students, 91 certified athletic trainers). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The questionnaire consisted of 17 injuries and issues common to both female and male athlete scenarios. Three gender-specific items were added to each scenario. Responses were scored on a 5-point scale anchored by 1 (very uncomfortable) and 5 (very comfortable). Participants were asked to indicate the reason for any degree of discomfort. Internal consistency, determined by the Cronbach alpha, was .92 for the female athlete scenario and .93 for the male athlete scenario. RESULTS: We found significant differences between women and men certified athletic trainers for the female and male athlete scenarios. Overall, women were more comfortable caring for female injuries and issues, whereas men were more comfortable caring for male injuries and issues. Certified athletic trainers reported more comfort overall than athletic training students. The most common underlying reason reported for discomfort in caring for female and male injuries and issues was experience level. CONCLUSIONS: Athletic training education programs should provide early and more deliberate experiences with injuries and issues of a more intimate nature, including those that are gender specific and non-gender specific. These experiences may increase athletic trainers' level of comfort in providing care to athletes of the opposite sex.

Self-reported comfort in athletic training to same- and opposite-sex athletes.

To assess the comfort of athletic trainers in providing care to athletes of the same- and opposite-sex, the Gender Comfort in Athletic Training Questionnaire was developed. Cronbach alpha was .72. The 8-item questionnaire was mailed to 235 participants, who were senior athletic training students and clinical instructors affiliated with 14 university athletic training programs. 192 questionnaires were returned (82%). Only one t test showed a significant mean difference in reported comfort between women (n= 103, M=2.8, SD= 0.8; disagree) and men (n= 89, M=3.1, SD=0.8; neutral) on the statement: I feel more comfortable providing athletic training services to male athletes than female athletes. The women and men in this sample were similar in their self-ratings of comfort in providing athletic training services to male and female athletes.