Building Individual and Team Resilience: A Neuropsychiatric and Social Perspective

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that a modern healthcare workforce needs to be increasingly resilient to cope with difficult situations. This attention to resilience in the healthcare team is an area that requires further exploration and development. From the wider literature on personal resilience, professional resilience appears to be more than "not burning out", it involves positive adaptation and developing personal resources. This session will address ways in which to bridge the knowledge gap in understanding the neurobiology of resiliency, and for healthcare team members, review of the mechanisms involved in developing and increasing both personal and professional resiliency.The session will be broken down into 3 parts:First, a review of the neurological anatomy and physiology involved, and then insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying resilience. This concept is based on a neuroplastic process model, which will be discussed.Second, for the development of personal resilience, the focus will be on optimism, patience, mindfulness, supportive relationships, available resources, work-life boundary setting, self-development, and growth. These areas are steppingstones to the intentional development of thoughts and behaviors that change the neuroplasticity of the brain. and lead to your physical brain changing to reinforce the skill.Third, for the development of the professional team resilience, the focus will be on interprofessional group dynamics and the process of identifying adverse workplace challenges, such as organizational issues in the current healthcare sector.