Staying Well DVD
The project: In December 2004, a 12-month project was undertaken in the Northern Territory titled “Improving the Wellbeing and Self-Care of Junior Doctors”. The project:
- Trialled two Well-Being Workshops: Nine Prevocational Doctors attended a 1 day workshop in March and a 2 day retreat in June 2005. Feedback on the workshops was very positive. 83% of participants stated afterwards that well-being teaching should be compulsory and annual, and 100% felt that they had learnt self-care skills that would make a change in their lives.
- Evaluated the well-being of the Prevocational Doctor participants and compared it to a group that did not do the workshops. Whilst well-being levels deteriorated similarly in both groups over the 6 months studied, there was some improvement in self-care practices in those who attended the workshops. These doctors also reported a dramatic improvement in the understanding and valuing of well-being issues, skills and motivation to improve well-being and knowledge of how and where to seek support.
- Produced the Staying Well DVD.
The DVD: “Staying Well. Self-Care for Junior Doctors” is an 18-minute program that stimulates and informs discussion about well-being for doctors in the first years of their hospital training. Included in the package is an educational insert to assist discussion following viewing of the DVD.
The DVD is a heartfelt and very honest insight into the issues of well-being, told by Prevocational Doctors themselves. Fast paced, with local music and settings, it mixes humour with wisdom and is entirely unscripted. This DVD is the story of Prevocational Doctor well-being, told by those living it, to be shared with those living it.
Acknowledgments:
Project implementation: Northern Territory General Practice Education and Northern Territory Postgraduate Medical Council.
Project funding: Medical Training Review Panel Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Ethics approval: Human Research Ethics Committee of Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services and Menzies School of Health Research, 2005.
DVD production: Formation Studios.
Project Coordinator: Dr Danielle Stewart
