Continuous Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Doctors; Understanding Patterns of Stress and Recovery and Their Relationship With Self-reported Resilience, Burnout and Wellbeing.
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- This is an observational study: the protocol does not assign a study treatment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Burnout, Burnout Syndrome, Occupational Stress, Stress. Basic parameters: No limits · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United Kingdom
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Overview
Burnout is an increasing concern in the medical professions. This study aims to utilise established, validated self-report measures combined with continuous heart rate variability measurements to better understand the stress and recovery patterns experienced by doctors that may contribute to burnout. This mixed methods study design will consist of an ecological momentary assessment phase where participants will complete commonly used and validated real-time subjective measures while concurrently wearing a heart rate variability monitor to provide an objective measure of stress. Following on from this, participants of interest will be invited to participate in semi structured interviews to further explore their experiences of stress and recovery.
Primary outcome measures
- Heart rate variability [Time frame: 7 days]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Burnout [Time frame: Measured on day 1]
- Resilience [Time frame: Measured on day 1]
- Wellbeing [Time frame: Measured on day 1]
- EMA Measures [Time frame: 8 times/day for 7 days]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Working within NHS Grampian
- Access to a smartphone
Exclusion criteria
- Cardiac arrhythmias/endocrine disease.
- Prescription beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, benzodiazepines, antidepressants and antianxiety medications.
- Insufficient non-working time prior to study commencement.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
United Kingdom · 1 center
- NHS Grampian — Aberdeen
Publications
- Kane L, Ball D, Martin KR, Powell D. Continuous heart rate variability monitoring-understanding patterns of stress and recovery and their relationship with self-reported burnout, resilience and well-being in doctors: a protocol for a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study. BMJ Open. 2025 Jun 8;15(6):e097849. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-097849. PMID 40484420
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06721312 · 2-015-24