Monitoring Heart Rate Variability to Understand Stress, Recovery, and Burnout in NHS Grampian Doctors

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are exploring how stress and recovery patterns relate to burnout, resilience, and wellbeing among doctors. The study combines self-reported measures with continuous heart rate variability monitoring to understand factors that may contribute to burnout in medical professionals. This observational research is sponsored by the University of Aberdeen and focuses on healthcare workers within NHS Grampian. Participants will wear a heart rate variability monitor continuously for 7 days while completing validated real-time self-report assessments multiple times daily. These subjective and objective measures aim to capture stress levels and recovery throughout typical work and non-work periods. Following this phase, some participants will be invited to share their experiences in semi-structured interviews to provide deeper insights. During the study, researchers will track heart rate variability continuously and collect self-reported data on burnout, resilience, wellbeing, and ecological momentary assessments EMA eight times per day for one week. The study includes initial eligibility screening based on work setting and smartphone access. By combining physiological and subjective data, the research seeks to reveal patterns that influence doctors stress and recovery. Participation involves monitoring and questionnaires over one week, with optional interviews afterward to discuss personal experiences.

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