Biosensors, Biometrics and Capabilities in Practice (CiP): A WHOOP 4.0 Perspective

Area of Science:

• Medical Physiology
• Occupational Health
• Surgical Education

Background:

• Physiological stress and burnout are significant concerns in surgical training.
• Understanding the impact of clinical workload on resident well-being is crucial for effective training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the physiological stress response of surgical residents during various clinical activities and duty shifts.
• To investigate the relationship between stress, sleep patterns, and burnout using wearable technology.

Main Methods:

• Surgical residents (n=23) wore WHOOP4.0 sensors for 6 weeks, recording Capabilities in Practice (CiP) events and Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (AMBI) scores.
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and sleep metrics were analyzed in relation to resident grade, duty shift, and CiP type.
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify significant correlations and differences.

Main Results:

• Median HRV differed significantly by resident grade (Core Surgical Training vs. Higher Surgical Training) and duty shift (Off Duty, Normal Working Day, On Call Day, Emergency shifts).
• Emergency shifts, especially night shifts, were associated with reduced sleep quantity and quality, with HRV correlating with sleep efficiency and REM sleep.
• High burnout rates (AMBI score >3) were observed, particularly in Core Surgical Training residents and females, and were inversely related to HRV and sleep efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Physiological stress responses vary significantly based on duty shifts and clinical activities, underscoring the physical demands on clinicians.
• Emergency work, particularly night shifts, leads to adverse sleep profiles, impacting resident sleep quantity and quality.
• The findings highlight the need for interventions to mitigate stress and burnout in surgical training programs.