Stress measurement in surgeons and residents using a smart patch

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Performance
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Surgeon stress can negatively impact performance and patient safety.
• Current stress measurement methods are often complex and lack real-time capabilities.
• Identifying stress triggers in surgical environments is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report stress measurements in surgeons and residents using a novel wearable patch sensor.
• To identify activities and risk factors associated with stress in surgeons.
• To evaluate the real-time stress monitoring capabilities of the patch sensor.

Main Methods:

• Surgeons and residents wore the HealthPatch™ sensor for 2-3 days during all activities.
• The patch recorded heart rate variability (HRV) and calculated real-time stress percentage.
• The patch data was compared with self-reported stress levels using the STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory).

Main Results:

• A significant increase in HRV and stress percentage was observed during surgery compared to other activities.
• Consultant surgeons exhibited lower stress levels during operations than fellows and residents.
• Stress measurements from the patch sensor did not correlate with STAI self-assessment outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Continuous stress monitoring via wearable sensors provides valuable data on surgeon stress levels.
• Stress is highest during surgical procedures, particularly for surgical fellows and residents.
• This technology can help identify high-risk situations and inform interventions to manage surgeon stress.