Conceptual Considerations for Understanding Resilience in Healthcare Students

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aims Increasing attention has been given to the concept resilience in the context of healthcare especially during and post the COVID pandemic. Much of the inquiry and evidence reported has focused on promoting or enhancing resilience in healthcare for improving the quality of care and reducing medical negligence. This discursive paper aims to highlight how resilience is conceptualised and identify any potential limitations or gaps in the context of healthcare students, acknowledging considerations for further development and research into this topic. Design and Methods This discursive discussion draws on relevant theoretical underpinnings from the fields of adjustment and coping psychology, and research and evidence from health sciences, for facilitating an understanding of resilience in supporting healthcare students to adapt into professional practice. Results Investigation of resilience in healthcare students is mainly identified at an individual level as personal traits or skills for working within complex healthcare systems and clinical environments. Less attention has been given to examining resilience at the organisation or systemic level. This is primarily because of limited frameworks for investigating resilience from a multidimensional perspective recognising a wider systemic level influenced by external factors including socioecological determinants, for example, available support services for healthcare students. Conclusions The link between resilience and its function to mitigate against associated neuropsychological distress and subsequent pathopsychological disorders in healthcare student cohorts is recognised; however, greater understanding of resilience as a multidimensional construct is warranted. Relevance to Clinical Practice A multidimensional investigation of resilience is critical for the preparation and readiness of healthcare structures and organisations in facilitating the needs of healthcare students entering challenging and diverse healthcare working environments. Patient or Public Contribution No patient or public contribution.

Keywords

• healthcare students
• healthcare systems
• individual factors
• protective factors
• psychological well‐being
• resilience