Continuous Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Doctors; Understanding Patterns of Stress and Recovery and Their Relationship With Self-reported Resilience, Burnout and Wellbeing.

Continuous Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Doctors; Understanding Patterns of Stress and Recovery and Their Relationship With Self-reported Resilience, Burnout and Wellbeing.

Burnout is an increasing concern in the medical professions. This study aims to utilise established, validated self-report measures combined with continuous heart rate variability measurements to better understand the stress and recovery patterns experienced by doctors that may contribute to burnout.

This mixed methods study design will consist of an ecological momentary assessment phase where participants will complete commonly used and validated real-time subjective measures while concurrently wearing a heart rate variability monitor to provide an objective measure of stress. Following on from this, participants of interest will be invited to participate in semi structured interviews to further explore their experiences of stress and recovery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Working within NHS Grampian
• Access to a smartphone

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cardiac arrhythmias/endocrine disease.
• Prescription beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and antianxiety medications.
• Insufficient non-working time prior to study commencement.