Strengthening the Culture of Well-Being in Rural Hospitals Through RISE Peer Support.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Occupational Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Healthcare worker (HCW) burnout is a critical issue, especially in rural hospitals facing staff shortages and isolation.
• Peer support programs show promise in urban settings, but their effectiveness in rural healthcare remains understudied.
• Limited resources and professional isolation in rural areas exacerbate HCW stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the Johns Hopkins RISE (Resilience in Stressful Events) peer support program in rural hospital systems.
• To assess the program's impact on healthcare workers' anxiety, burnout, resilience, and perceptions of organizational well-being.
• To explore the feasibility and outcomes of peer support in underserved rural healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the Johns Hopkins RISE peer support program in two rural hospital systems.
• Pre- and post-implementation surveys assessed anxiety (GAD-7), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and resilience (CD-RISC).
• Statistical analysis using linear and logistic regression, adjusted for demographic and employment factors.

Main Results:

• Burnout and anxiety levels decreased modestly post-implementation among 868 participants.
• Resilience initially improved but was not sustained at the 2-year follow-up.
• Access to peer support and perceived supportive resources significantly improved, indicating successful program integration.

Conclusions:

• The RISE peer support program was successfully adapted to rural hospital settings, reducing HCW burnout and anxiety.
• While not all outcomes were sustained long-term, the program enhanced perceived access to peer support.
• Tailored peer support programs can mitigate workforce distress in rural health systems, potentially improving retention and care in underserved areas.