Occupational Stress Research Articles

Structural modeling of the relationship between occupational stress, occupational motivation, and job satisfaction among school teachers in the Sultanate of Oman

Structural modeling of the relationship between occupational stress, occupational motivation, and job satisfaction among school teachers in the Sultanate of Oman

The Impact of Downsizing on Occupational Stress and Organizational Commitment

The Impact of Downsizing on Occupational Stress and Organizational Commitment

Presenteeism and Traffic Accident Among Taxi Drivers: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan

BackgroundTraffic accidents involving professional drivers have serious societal repercussions. Unique occupational stressors and health risks exacerbate the likelihood of traffic accidents among professional drivers. This study explores the association between presenteeism—impaired work performance due to working while unwell—and traffic accident risk among professional taxi drivers in Japan. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted from June 2022 to February 2023, involving taxi drivers from a single company in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Presenteeism was assessed using the Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun). Primary outcome involved the number of self-reported minor traffic accidents. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of minor traffic accident occurrences was estimated using a Poisson regression analysis, adjusted for confounders including sex, age, and driving experience. ResultsOf 838 targeted drivers, 435 were included in the analysis. Higher baseline work functioning impairment was associated with a significant trend of increasing IRR of minor traffic accidents (p for trend = 0.045). A dose-response relationship was seen between the degree of presenteeism and incidence rate of minor traffic accidents. ConclusionHigher levels of presenteeism were associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents among taxi drivers. The findings underscore the need for socio-economic support and prioritized health management to mitigate traffic accident risk among professional drivers. This study highlights the importance of managing non-critical health issues alongside serious health conditions for safer driving practices among professional drivers in Japan.

Availability and use of institutional support programs for emergency department healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic placed health care personnel (HCP) at risk for stress, anxiety, burnout, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To address this, hospitals developed programs to mitigate risk. The objectives of the current study were to measure the availability and use of these programs in a cohort of academic emergency departments (EDs) in the United States early in the pandemic and identify factors associated with program use. Cross-sectional survey of ED HCP in 21 academic EDs in 15 states between June and September 2020. Site investigators provided data on the availability of 28 programs grouped into 9 categories. Individual support programs included: financial, workload mitigation, individual COVID-19 testing, emotional (e.g., mental health hotline), and instrumental (e.g., childcare) Clinical work support programs included: COVID-19 team communication (e.g., debriefing critical incident), patient-family communication facilitation, patient services (e.g., social work, ethics consultation), and system-level exposure reduction. Participants provided corresponding data on whether they used the programs. We used generalized linear mixed models clustered on site to measure the association between demographic and facility characteristics and program use. We received 1,541 survey responses (96% response rate) from emergency physicians or advanced practice providers, nurses, and nonclinical staff. Program availability in each of the 9 categories was high (>95% of hospitals). Program use was variable, with clinical work support programs used more frequently (28-50% of eligible HCP across categories) than individual employee support programs (6-13% of eligible HCP across categories). Fifty-seven percent of respondents reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their stress and anxiety, and 12% were at elevated risk for PTSD. Program use did not significantly differ for HCP who reported symptoms of anxiety and/or stress compared to those who did not. Early in the pandemic, support programs were widely available to ED HCP, but program use was low. Future work will focus on identifying barriers and facilitators to use and specific programs most likely to be effective during periods of highest occupational stress.

A Study of Teacher Effectiveness in Relation to Job Satisfaction and Occupational Stress of Secondary School Teachers

This study investigates the relationship between teacher effectiveness, job satisfaction, and occupational stress among secondary school teachers. The findings reveal that the majority of secondary school teachers exhibit moderate levels of teacher effectiveness (62.08%), job satisfaction (90.5%), and occupational stress (76.4%). Approximately 15 to 16% of teachers display high levels of teacher effectiveness (15.9%), job satisfaction (14.9%), and occupational stress (16.3%), while 13 to 15% demonstrate low levels of these variables (teacher effectiveness - 13.3%, job satisfaction - 15.1%, occupational stress - 15.3%). Moreover, gender does not appear to influence teacher effectiveness, job satisfaction, or occupational stress significantly. However, there is a positive correlation observed between job satisfaction and occupational stress. These findings shed light on the complex interplay between teacher effectiveness, job satisfaction, and occupational stress, highlighting potential areas for intervention and support within secondary school settings.

Burnout Syndrome and Emotional Labor in Leaders and Subordinates: A Dyad Analysis

Burnout Syndrome is considered a chronic response to occupational stressors in the work environment. Social interactions constitute one of the stressors at work that can generate negative feelings that trigger a process of contagion of the syndrome among workers in interdependent relationships. This study aimed to analyze whether emotional labor (emotional demands, emotional dissonance) at the level of the leader and subordinate dyad contributes to the manifestation of Burnout Syndrome. The participants included 244 leader–subordinate dyads who answered a questionnaire with sociodemographic and labor data, the Spanish Burnout Inventory, a subscale of the Questionnaire on the Experience and Assessment of Work, and a subscale of the Frankfurt Emotion Work Scale. Analyses were performed using the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) through path analysis. The results indicate that the emotional demands of the leaders and the emotional dissonance of the subordinates predict the leader’s Burnout Syndrome. The Burnout Syndrome of subordinates was predicted only by the emotional demands of subordinates. Organizational actions are necessary for the better functioning of this dyad, aiming to mitigate the negative consequences of emotional labor on workers’ mental health.

Cross-sectional study on the impact of adverse childhood experiences on coronary flow reserve in male physicians with and without occupational burnout

ObjectivePhysicians face documented challenges to their mental and physical well-being, particularly in the forms of occupational burnout and cardiovascular disease. This study examined the previously under-researched intersection of early life stressors, prolonged occupational stress, and cardiovascular health in physicians. MethodsParticipants were 60 practicing male physicians, 30 with clinical burnout, defined by the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and 30 non-burnout controls. They completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Questionnaire asking about abuse, neglect and household dysfunctions before the age of 18, and the Perceived Stress Scale to rate thoughts and feelings about stress in the past month. Endothelium-independent (adenosine challenge) coronary flow reserve (CFR) and endothelium-dependent CFR (cold pressor test) were assessed by positron emission tomography-computed tomography. The segment stenosis score was determined by coronary computed tomography angiography. ResultsTwenty-six (43%) participants reported at least one ACE and five (8%) reported ≥4 ACEs. A higher ACEs sum score was associated with lower endothelium-independent CFR (r partial (rp) = −0.347, p = .01) and endothelium-dependent CFR (rp = −0.278, p = .04), adjusting for age, body mass index, perceived stress and segment stenosis score. In exploratory analyses, participants with ≥4 ACEs had lower endothelium-independent CFR (rp = −0.419, p = .001) and endothelium-dependent CFR (rp = −0.278, p = .04), than those with <4 ACEs. Endothelium-dependent CFR was higher in physicians with burnout than in controls (rp = 0.277, p = .04). No significant interaction emerged between burnout and ACEs for CFR. ConclusionThe findings suggest an independent association between ACEs and CFR in male physicians and emphasize the nuanced relationship between early life stressors, professional stress, and cardiovascular health.

Implications of perceived empathy from spouses during pregnancy for health-related quality of life among pregnant women: a cross-sectional study in Anhui, China

BackgroundEmpathy is a critical component of nursing care, impacting both nurses’ and patients’ outcomes. However, perceived empathy from spouses during pregnancy and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are unclear. This study aimed to examine pregnant women’s perceived empathy from their spouses and assess the relation of perceived empathy on HRQoL.MethodsThis cross-sectional study, performed in the obstetric clinics or wards of four well-known hospitals in Anhui Province, China, included 349 pregnant women in the second or third trimester; participants were recruited by convenience sampling and enrolled from October to December 2021. A general information questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a purpose-designed empathy questionnaire and the Medical Outcomes Study 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) were used to evaluate the pregnant women’s general information, perceptions of empathy and HRQoL. Data were analysed using SPSS 22 at a threshold of P < 0.05. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, Student’s t test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis were used for analysis.ResultsThe pregnant women’s total empathy, physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were 41.6 ± 9.0, 41.6 ± 7.6, and 47.7 ± 9.1, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that the purpose-designed empathy questionnaire items were significantly positively correlated with perspective taking and empathic concern but were not correlated with the personal distress dimension and were only partially correlated with the fantasy dimension. Maternal physical condition during pregnancy, planned pregnancy, and occupational stress were predictors of the PCS score (β = 0.281, P < 0.01; β = 0.132, P = 0.02; β = -0.128, P = 0.02). The behavioural empathy item of our purpose-designed empathy questionnaire and empathic concern were important predictors of the MCS score (β = 0.127, P = 0.02; β = 0.158, P < 0.01), as well as other demographic and obstetric information, explaining 22.0% of the variance in MCS scores totally (F = 12.228, P < 0.01).ConclusionsPregnant women perceived lower empathy from their spouses and reported lower HRQoL. Perceived empathy, particularly behavioural empathy, may significantly impact pregnant women’s MCS scores but has no effect on their PCS scores. Strategies that foster perceived empathy from spouses among pregnant women are essential for facilitating healthy pregnancies and potentially improving maternal and child health.

Assessment of Levels of Occupational Stress among the Intensive Care Workers in a Selected Hospital in Lagos State

Background: Working in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) comes with a great deal of physical, emotional, and psychological strain that can get worse with time if not properly managed. Numerous factors contribute to the extreme levels of stress experienced by healthcare professionals, such as long and demanding work hours, the burden of paperwork and legal matters, the disruption of work-life balance, the complexity of shared decision-making, and the high expectations placed ICU workers by on both patients and carers. Some outcomes of occupational stress among intensive care workers include bad safety culture, poor standard of care for patients and depression. Research Objective: The Purpose of the study was to ascertain the levels of occupational stress among the intensive care workers of a hospital. Methodology: The research was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). An aggregate of 108 intensive care workers were sampled for the study. A pre-tested, semi-structured self-administered questionnaire was used to gather the data, and the statistical package for social sciences, SPSS version, was used for analysis. The means and standard deviations, or the median and interquartile range, were used to express continuous variables. The expressions for categorical variables were frequencies accompanied by percentages. The study employed chi square statistics to evaluate the correlation between categorical variables. Results: There is an average prevalence of stress among intensive care workers of LASUTH. Recommendation: Staff sshould undergo training on stress handling, in order to be able to manage their individual stressors and reduce the overall stress.

Occupational stress among Norwegian physicians: A literature review of long-term prospective studies 2007-2019.

There are signs of increased stress at work among Norwegian physicians over the last decades, not least among general practitioners (GPs). In this review, we identify trends in both occupational stress and adverse work-related predictors of such stress and burnout in Norwegian physicians. We performed an extensive literature search using MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO. We included prospective and repeated cross-sectional studies of work stress among Norwegian physicians published in 2007-2019. Nine studies with observation periods of 1-20 years were included. Occupational stress (global measure) among all doctors decreased gradually from medical school to 20 years later. The prevalence of an effort-reward imbalance increased fourfold among GPs during the period 2010-2019. Five studies reported higher levels of occupational stress among female physicians than among their male colleagues. Work-home conflict levels increased after graduation until 10 years after leaving medical school and plateaued thereafter. Physicians who graduated in a later cohort reported lower levels of work-home conflict and less workplace violence. Work-home conflict, low colleague support, number of work hours and workload/low autonomy were all independent predictors of occupational stress. The reduction in occupational stress during the years after leaving medical school may result from increased competency in clinical work and decreased on-call work. The Co-ordination Act implemented in 2012 may explain the increase in occupational stress among GPs. These findings suggest that both reducing work-home conflict and increasing colleague support are important for doctors' well-being.

On the issue of assessing the blood lipid spectrum in working men of different ages

Introduction. Harmful working conditions contribute to the development of dyslipidemia&#x0D; Goal – assessment of the blood lipid spectrum in men of different age groups under conditions of occupational stress.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We analyzed the lipid spectrum of the blood in men aged up to 40 years (groups No. 1, 2 with different work experience, n=22 and n=20) and over 40 years of age (group No. 3, n=20). Assessed working conditions. Nutritional status, diet, physical activity, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption were determined.&#x0D; Result. Working conditions are harmful in terms of tension of 3.2 degrees. Physical activity is insufficient, 47.3% have three meals a day, 52.7% have two meals a day. In groups under 40 years of age with different years of experience, 68.2% and 63.2% are overweight; in people over 40 years old, 55.0% are overweight, class I obesity. at 20.0%. The proportion of smokers is 4.5%, 10.0% and 20.0%. With increasing age and experience, triglycerides increased (from 1.12±0.95 to 1.53±0.94 (p=0.022), total cholesterol (from 5.04±1.22 to 6.31±1.2, p=0.001), low-density lipoproteins (from 3.8±0.98 to 4.83± 1.11, p=0.01) mmol/l; proportions of people with hypertriglyceridemia (from 9.1 to 43.8%), hypercholesterolemia (from 40.9% to 93.7%), high LDL-C (from 47.6 to 93.75%); &#x0D; in subgroup No. 1, 19.0%, No. 2, 33.4% had HDL-C below normal. Lipid atherogenicity increased from 3.34±0.13 to 3.95±0.27 (p=0.031). &#x0D; Limitations. Men under 40 and over 40 years of age with varying years of experience working in hazardous work conditions. &#x0D; Conclusion. Hard work with poor nutrition and physical inactivity contributes to atherogenic changes in blood lipids. It is proposed to expand the list of studies to assess the atherogenicity of lipids in trained workers; in people with strenuous work, determine at an earlier age for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Impact of occupational stress on nursing professionals who provide hospital care

Introduction: One of the factors such as excessive working hours in nursing professionals poses a risk to their professional health, likely affecting the quality and productivity of the service provided. Objective: To determine the impact of job stress on part-time nursing professionals at the Technical University of Ambato. Methodology: A descriptive, non-experimental cross-sectional study was conducted. A survey was administered using the Spanish version of the Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) during July 2023. All part-time nursing staff working at the Technical University of Ambato as clinical instructors (n=50) were included. Data such as age and hospital work service were considered. Full-time nursing staff were excluded. Results: The surveyed nursing professionals predominated in services such as Operating Room 18% (n=9), Emergency 12% (n=6), Neonatology 12% (n=6), and Surgical Hospitalization 10% (n=5), with an average age of 38.6 years (Min 24 - Max 59). Regarding the determination of job stress based on evaluated stressors, scores characterized as "sometimes" predominated with 54% (n=27), followed by "never" with 26% (n=13), "frequently" with 16% (n=8), and finally "very frequently" with 4% (n=2). Conclusion: Stress related to disagreement with a patient's treatment was found to have a significant impact on the job stress of nursing professionals. Keywords: Job Stress, Nursing, Health Impact Assessment.

Association of the barriers of pharmaceutical care perceived by clinical pharmacists and occupational stress in tertiary hospitals of China.

As an important member of the healthcare team, clinical pharmacists' occupational stress will lead to a decline in the quality of pharmaceutical care. According to person-environment fit theory, barriers of pharmaceutical care perceived by clinical pharmacists may be a potential factor influencing occupational stress. This study aimed to assess the association between the specific barriers of pharmaceutical care perceived by clinical pharmacists and their occupational stress in China. A field-based questionnaire survey of tertiary hospitals was conducted in 31 provincial administrative regions in mainland China using a multi-stage stratified sampling method. Data on occupational stress, barriers of pharmaceutical care perceived by clinical pharmacists and other factors of job stress were collected using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and a self-administered instrument. The instruments have undergone multiple rounds of pilot investigations, and their reliability is acceptable. Ordinary least squares regression was used to evaluate the association of the perceived barriers and other factors with their occupational stress. A total of 625 clinical pharmacists from 311 tertiary hospitals in China (response rate = 84%) participated. Perceived resource dimension barriers (p = 0.00) and self-improvement dimension barriers (p = 0.01) were associated with increased occupational stress of the participants. In addition, clinical pharmacists with senior professional titles and engaged in neurology and ICU have higher occupational stress. By removing barriers to pharmacists' resources and self-improvement, it is possible to better meet the work needs of clinical pharmacists and may effectively reduce occupational stress, thereby improving the quality of pharmaceutical services.

Sleep Quality, Occupational Stress, and Alcohol Consumption Among Hispanic University Employees: Exploring Complex Relationships and Mediation Effects (P9-9.005)

Sleep Quality, Occupational Stress, and Alcohol Consumption Among Hispanic University Employees: Exploring Complex Relationships and Mediation Effects (P9-9.005)

Perceived Workplace Discrimination on the Basis of Parent Status in Australia: Who Is Vulnerable and How Does It Link to Mothers' and Fathers' Mental Health?

This study focused on employees' perceived discrimination due to parenthood; and mental health, occupational stress and turnover intention. Methods: Survey (2016) of an Australian convenience sample of employed parents: women ( n = 2950) and men ( n = 1318). Results: Forty-two percent of all mothers reported missing out on promotion ( n = 1234/2950); one-third reported negative comments from managers ( n = 805/2950, 27%) or colleagues ( n = 832/2950, 28%). One in five fathers reported these forms of discrimination. In adjusted analyses, perceived discrimination was associated with poorer mental health (β = 0.23, P < 0.001); higher occupational stress (β = 0.30, P < 0.001); and increased odds of turnover intention (adjusted odds ratio = 1.5, P < 0.001) for mothers; and poorer mental health (β = 0.34, P < 0.001); stress (β = 0.35, P < 0.001); and increased odds of turnover intention (adjusted odds ratio = 1.7, P < 0.001) for fathers. Conclusions: Experiences of negativity and hostility at work are common and link to employee health and well-being.

Prevalence of occupational heat stress across the seasons and its management amongst healthcare professionals in the UK

Occupational heat stress (OHS) is an issue in healthcare facilities (HCFs) in the United Kingdom (UK). The aims of this study were to evaluate perceived levels of OHS during two seasons and its perceived consequences on healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to assess the efficacy of heat stress management (HSM) policies. An anonymous online survey was distributed to HCPs working in HCFs in the UK. The survey returned 1014 responses (87% women). Descriptive statistics and content analysis of survey data identified that OHS in HCFs is frequently experienced throughout the year and concerned most HCPs. Over 90% perceived OHS impairs their performance and 20% reported heat-related absenteeism. Awareness of HSM policies was poor and 73% deemed them not adequate. To help reduce the financial loss and impact on staff performance, health and well-being and patient safety, it is recommended that revisions and widespread dissemination of HSM policies are made.

Arterial hypertension in the Arctic: the role of stress and autonomic dysfunction, gender differences

Introduction. Psychological stress and autonomic dysfunction are recognized as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, but they affect cardiovascular risk differently in men and women.Aim: To study gender differences in factors influencing the probability of detecting arterial hypertension (AH) from the perspective of the role of stress, autonomic dysfunction and nonspecific inflammation in rotational shift workers in the Arctic region.Material and Methods. In the medical unit of the gas production company “Gazprom dobycha Yamburg” (polar settlement of Yamburg, 68°21’40”N) we simultaneously examined 99 men and 81 women with AH 1,2 degree of AH and normotensive persons comparable in age (p = 0.450), work experience in the Arctic (p = 0.956), number of years of rotational shift work (p = 0.824), level of office systolic (SBP) (p = 0.251) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.579). Questionnaires were used to determine the level of general stress (PSM25 scale), occupational stress (Vaisman questionnaire); assessment of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function (Wayne A.M. questionnaire); 24-hour blood pressure monitoring was performed; biochemical blood test for biomarkers of inflammation, cortisol, brain natriuretic peptide precursor, homocysteine, folliclestimulating hormone was carrued out.Results. Vegetative manifestations (asthenization, increased fatigue, meteorological dependence, headaches) were significantly more often observed in women. Among men with AH, individuals with high levels of neuropsychological tension predominated, every fifth M had a high level of occupational stress. The median scores on the Wayne A.M. questionnaire were significantly higher in women, regardless of BP, and moderate ANS disorders were significantly more prevalent. According to logistic regression data, a significant effect on the probability of AH in men was the number of stress scores (OR = 1.050; 1.029–1.171, p = 0.001), indicators of nocturnal DBP variability (OR = 1.295; 1.109–1.511, p = 0.001) and nonspecific inflammation: rise in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) increased the probability of AH by 1.5 times (OR = 1.532; 1.212–1.937, p = 0.001), IL-1β – by 7 times (OR = 7.275; 3.235–16.361, p = 0.001). The probability of AH in women increased by the values of the daily variability of SBP (OR = 1.154; 1.019–1.306, p = 0.024), hs-CRP by 1.5 times (OR = 1.479; 1.226–1.783, p = 0.001), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (OR = 1.111; 1.001–1.244, p = 0.044), level of IL-6 increased the probability of AH by 1.7 times (OR = 1.676; 1.149–2.958, p = 0.035), the number of scores on ANS questionnaire had a significant effect (OR = 1.055; 1.006–1.107, p = 0.026).Conclusion. In the conditions of the rotational shift work in the Arctic, gender differences were revealed in the stress perception and the severity of ANS dysfunction with a clear relationship between stress, inflammation and AH in men. ANS dysfunction in women was a trigger of nonspecific inflammation and AH. The identified gender differences will help to reveal vulnerable groups among men and women and develop targeted interventions for individuals in the Arctic region.

Emergency department Nurses’ narratives of burnout: Changing roles and boundaries

PurposeEmergency department nurses work in rapidly changing environments, which can contribute to occupational stress. Emergency department nurses utilise diverse strategies to mediate the impact of stress on their daily lives. There is a paucity of qualitative research which explores emergency department nurses’ experiences and perspectives of burnout. This study aimed to explore emergency department nurses’ experiences of burnout. Further, the study considered how emergency nurses conceptualised burnout and the strategies they used to manage the professional and personal effects of burnout. ProceduresThe COREQ research guidelines were used throughout the study from the design stage through to dissemination. Narrative inquiry was used as the underpinning theoretical framework. The researcher met individually with eight emergency department nurses from NSW hospitals to undertake a face-to-face semi-structured interview. An inductive approach was used to establish major themes within the narrative. FindingsTwo major themes were established: experiencing conflicting emotions and trying to establish a personal sense of control. Emergency nurses felt passionate about their professional roles, yet encountered difficulties due to management structures, time constraints and a sense of underappreciation. The misalignment between their expectations and the reality of emergency department nursing, resulted in experiences of burnout such as dissatisfaction and frustrations at work. Consequently, these nurses adopted diverse strategies within both their professional and personal domains. Principal conclusionsThe conclusions of this study are transferable to a variety of acute health services. Health service management have a role to promote a positive workplace culture for nurses, which advocates for home life balance. This will support nurses to construct clear boundaries between professional identity and their personal lives.

Zoo professionals and volunteers in the U.S: experiences and prevalence of burnout, mental health, and animal loss.

Burnout and mental health among animal care and health professionals (ACHPs) has received increasing attention in recent years. Despite rapid growth of research in this area, the wellbeing of individuals who work and/or volunteer in zoo settings has received minimal attention. An anonymous online survey was created to evaluate zoo staff and volunteers' experiences of animal-related loss, rates of professional fulfillment and burnout, mental health, perceived organizational support, and resilience. Participants included 1695 zoo professionals (72% ACHPs, 20% other staff) and volunteers (7%) who were recruited through relevant professional listservs and online platforms, and flyers on zoo grounds. ACHPs reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout and lower levels of professional fulfillment than other zoo staff and volunteers. The most common animal-related losses experienced by ACHPs in the past year were unexpected death (80%) and anticipated loss (74%), with more than half of these losses occurring within the past 3 months. ACHPs' reported bond with animals under their care was positively associated with depression and anxiety. Having a formal ritual or process following the death of an animal was positively associated with job fulfillment and perceived organizational support and negatively associated with depression and burnout-yet only 17% of participants in our sample indicated that their zoo had such a process or ritual. Our findings suggest that many ACHPs are struggling with burnout, anxiety, depression, and low rates of professional fulfilment and perceived organizational support. We recommend that zoos develop organizational plans that foster a culture which normalizes and validates grief/loss experiences and is proactive in responding to animal loss, related trauma, and other occupational stressors. The results of this research demonstrate the need for systemic changes within the zoo industry, for the betterment and welfare of both humans and the animals under their care.

The Lived Experience of Play and How It Relates to Psychological Wellbeing: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) Study Amongst Undergraduate Students from Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health Professions' Programmes in the United Kingdom.

Current literature acknowledges that undergraduate students undertaking programmes in medicine, nursing, and allied health professions experience occupational stress which presents as a detriment to mental health, psychological wellbeing (PWB), and burnout. Strategies to improve the wellbeing of students have been slow to embed and have had limited impact, indeed the issue of declining wellbeing amongst this group is escalating. Studies from the business literature suggest that organisations that foster a playful environment reap benefits in terms of employee wellbeing. This interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) study explored the lived experiences of play amongst undergraduate students from medicine, nursing, and allied health professions' programmes in the clinical practice setting. The resultant findings offer some unique empirical insights into the types of play that the students engaged in, ranging from informal banter with peers and patients to artful, sophisticated, cocreated play. The study also revealed insights about the factors which facilitate play, notably the "big personalities" on the ward. The factors which limited play are related to the tension between being a health professional and the enactment of play as well as hierarchical factors. Crucially, the study found that the practice of play induced key hedonic and eudaimonic PWB benefits to the students, ranging from positive affect to improved relationships, a sense of meaning, and a positive learning environment, offering original empirical insights. These findings have not been observed previously and shine a conceptual light on a previously unknown phenomenon.