Work engagement

Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry
Work engagement
and resources in
Dutch medical
residents
PURPOSE
To get insight in the effects of medical specialty on the
relationships between job resources, personal resources
and work engagement among medical residents.
INTRODUCTION
Work engagement is a positive affective-motivational
state of work-related wellbeing. Engagement is characterized by vigour, dedication and absorption. High levels
of energy and the willingness to invest in work define
vigour. Dedication is defined as feelings of enthusiasm,
pride and inspiration about one’s job. Absorption means
being so engrossed in work that the time passes quickly
and other things do not matter. This research is based
on the job demands and resources model (JD-R; Bakker
et al., 2004). Job and personal resources are considered
to be the main predictors of work engagement.
METHODS
5245 Dutch medical residents received a self-report
questionnaire. A total of 2115 were enrolled in the study
(41.1%). Engagement was measured using the Utrecht
Work Engagement Scale. Resources were 1. Job: auto
nomy, development, social support from colleagues,
performance feedback, supervisory coaching and
participation in decision making and met expectations
and 2. Personal: personal autonomy, social support from
partner/family and opportunity for personal development.
Table 1
Demographics and baseline characteristics of the medical residents (n=2115)
Variable
Mean & SD
N
Gender
Male
820
Female
1290
Missing
5
Age, range 23-58 years
31.5 (3.5)
Children < 18
One or more children
663
No children
1429
Missing
23
Years in training
3.0 (1.5)
Medical specialty in groups
2115
Internal medicine 292
Psychiatry
242
General surgery
170
Pediatrics 162
Obstetrics & gynaecology
125
Medical specialties
497
Surgical specialties
354
Supportive specialties 270 RESULTS
31.3
67.6
0.5
13.8
11.5
8.0
7.7
5.9
23.5
16.8
12.8
1 Radboud universiteit Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
2 Vincent van Gogh Institute for Psychiatry, Venray,
The Netherlands
3 Medical Center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden/Dutch Doctors’
Association, The Netherlands
CONCLUSIONS
Work engagement was significantly correlated with
1 Work engagement among medical residents is
all job and personal resources. The job resources met
relatively high, in particular among general surgery
expectations and job development showed the highest
residents.
correlation with engagement (Pearsons r=0.442 and
0.433 respectively; p<0.001). Stepwise multiple regression 2 Met expectations and job development are the two
with engagement as dependent variable revealed the
most important resources, however there are imporstrongest influence of met expectations and job developtant differences between the medical specialties.
ment (β= 0.271 and 0.229 respectively; p<0.001). As compared to other specialties the general surgery and psy3 A differential and customized approach is warranted
chiatry residents scored significantly higher on
resources. Residents in general surgery demonstrated
the highest scores on engagement (4.5 ± 0.75). Medical
specialty influences the relationship between resources
and engagement substantially. Social support from
colleagues is especially important for work engagement
among residents in general surgery and personal development among internal medicine and obstetrics and
gynaecology.
Figure 1
Theoretical model job and personal resources
%
38,8
61,0
0,2
Hanne Verweij
2
Frank van der Heijden
3
and Jelle Prins
1
Gender
Job resources:
- Job autonomy
- Job development
- Social support from colleagues
- Performance feedback
- Supervisory coaching
- Participation in decision making
- Met expectations
Work engagement:
- Vigour
- Dedication
- Absorption
Personal (home) resources:
- Personal autonomy
- Social support from partner / family
- Personal development
Medical specialty
Figure 2
Effect of job resources on work engagement in the different medical specialty groups
5,5
5,0
ENGAGEMENT
4,5
4,0
Medical specialty
General surgery
Surgical specialties
Internal medicine
Medical specialties
Supportive specialties
Obstretrics & gynaecology
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
3,5
3,0
2,5
Acknowlegdement
-3,0
-2,0
-1,0
This study has been unrestrictedly supported by SWG Arts en Werk (Utrecht, The Netherlands).
References
Address for correspondence
1
Dr. F.M.M.A. van der Heijden, psychiatrist
Vincent van Gogh for Psychiatry
Stationsweg 46
5803 AC Venray, the Netherlands
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 478 527 527
e-mail: [email protected]
Prins JT et al. Burnout and engagement among resident doctors in The Netherlands: A national study. Med
Educ 2010;44(3):236-247.
2
Verweij H. The influence of gender and medical specialty on the relationship between resources and work
engagement. Thesis 2013. Radboud University Nijmegen.
0,0
1,0
2,0
JOB RESOURCES
3,0

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