PURPOSE
Early-career postgraduate year (PGY) trainees face significant
psychological strain during their initial clinical phase, including role
transition stress, performance anxiety, and fear of incompetence. Lack of
support contributes to burnout, self-doubt, and high staff turnover.
Resilience is crucial for maintaining motivation and stability. This study
explores how a World Café workshop impacts workplace resilience and builds a
peer support network among newly hired PGY staff.
METHODS
A total of 21 postgraduate year (PGY) healthcare professionals from
multiple disciplines participated in a World Café session on resilience.
After the session, PGYs who consented were invited to participate in focus
group interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed via Thematic Analysis to
identify key learning outcomes and resilience development based on shared
experiences.
RESULTS
Six PGYs (three nurses, one nutritionist, one respiratory therapist, and
one occupational therapist) voluntarily participated in the interviews. The
mean duration of employment was 95.33 days. Participants reported a
psychological shift from "fear of making mistakes" to
"willingness to seek assistance." Group dynamics and shared
challenges provided crucial emotional support, giving them a sense of
"not being alone." This process fostered self-awareness and
learning belonging. Gaining encouragement and reflective insights from peers
was foundational to building their self-efficacy and workplace resilience.
CONCLUSION
The World Café dialogue is an effective strategy for promoting workplace
resilience in clinical newcomers. By creating a safe space for sharing and
peer connection, participants reconstructed their self-efficacy and learned
to navigate stress, demonstrating resilience growth: "from anxiety to
connection." Implementing these peer-support interventions can
significantly enhance psychological well-being, which is a crucial step
toward mitigating early-career attrition in the healthcare workforce.