Development of an Online Transdisciplinary Student Wellbeing Bundle: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

The consequences of burnout for tertiary students across the health professions are well documented. As key stakeholders in university-offered wellbeing services and support, it is desirable for students to hold a central role in development of such resources. Hence, there is a compelling need to develop a student-driven approach to promote wellbeing in the tertiary setting. Based on this need, an online student-focused platform was developed using a bottom-up approach to support participant-driven enhancement of wellbeing and resilience to counteract burnout at a large Australian university. This study reports on the development of the initial online “student bundle”, providing a foundation to inform the design of more locally-based approaches to improve wellness and prevent burnout. Students and staff were invited to participate in a series of focus groups. Sessions sought to collect information on desired structure, resources, and overall content of the student bundle, with a thematic analysis undertaken to identify emerging themes. Focus groups were conducted separately with staff (n=17) and students (n=7). Six main themes in relation to the development of the bundle emerged: Communication/Engagement, Accessibility/Flexibility, Professional practice, Community, Awareness, and Opportunity for personal growth. Stakeholders emphasised a bundle should be engaging and proactive to address wellbeing issues; incorporate aspects linked to professional identity; and foster community, connectedness, and self-awareness, providing an opportunity for growth. Our research has exposed significant needs in relation to how an online student-focused wellbeing bundle could be delivered and what it could provide. Findings from this study will be used to guide further development and implementation of a multimodal, interactive student wellbeing bundle.