Supported by a grant from the Yium Family Foundation since Spring 2020, I have worked with my longtime colleague, Dr. Mukta Panda, to understand the ways in which a sample of highly resilient healthcare professionals from all levels within a hospital environment are able to maintain their resilience even within difficult working situations. The initial focus of this project was on ways in which these individuals were able to maintain a sense of meaning and motivation while supporting and/or engaging in the practice of medicine (hence the “M3” label). This research has ultimately shown us that resilience is not solely or cleanly linked to individual differences; there are real and meaningful ways in which work and the work environment can be designed to facilitate resilient function.
We are currently at the dissemination phase of this project, with multiple manuscripts currently in preparation. You can get a preview of the types of information that will be emphasized in some of these papers (and some other notable findings) from the presentations outlined below, which were developed at least in part from the work on this project:
Werth, K. A., Cunningham, C. J. L. & Panda, M. (2021, November). Developing and testing short and savvy measures of resilience, health, and well-being for longitudinal research with healthcare workers. Poster presented at the 14th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health [virtual event].
Cunningham, C. J. L., Werth, K. A., Panda, M. (2021, November). Understanding the importance of meaning and motivation in medicine: Preliminary findings from a mixed-method study of resilient healthcare workers. Poster presented at the 14th International Conference on Work, Stress, & Health [virtual event].
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2022, August). Recognize, reflect, and respond: Developing informed leadership to optimize well-being in healthcare. Workshop delivered to the Chattanooga chapter of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Collegedale, TN.
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2023, February). Surviving & thriving as a healthcare team member: Evidence-based methods for building and sustaining resilience. Special presentation delivered to Nurse Anesthesia program students at the UTC School of Nursing. Chattanooga, TN.
An earlier version of this talk was also delivered as: Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2022, June). Surviving & thriving as a healthcare team member: Preliminary findings from the meaning and motivation in medicine study – a UTCOMC, EHS, and UTC partnership. Healthcare Principles in Practice continuing education session presented at Erlanger Hospital. Chattanooga, TN. Video recording available at https://youtu.be/iSpnsiJrouU
Cunningham, C. J. L., Panda, M., & Marquez Moreno, A. (2023, April). Healthcare worker resilience results from more than underlying individual differences: A person-environment contingency perspective. In N. A. Moon et al., Novel approaches to overcoming adversity: Multilevel research on workplace resilience. Symposium presented at the 38th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Boston, MA.
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2023, October). The impact of identity management on physician and healthcare professional resilience. Poster presented at the 2023 American Conference on Physician Health (ACPH). Palm Desert, CA.
Cunningham, C. J. L., & Panda, M. (2023, October). The critical role of relationships in building and sustaining physician and other healthcare professional resilience. Paper presented at the 2023 American Conference on Physician Health (ACPH). Palm Desert, CA.
Cunningham, C. J. L. (2023, October). Your self-care can’t wait (and it doesn’t have to): Strategies for protecting your health and well-being during work periods. Special presentation to attendees of the 2023 Tennessee American College of Physicians (TNACP) Annual Scientific Meeting. Franklin, TN