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S U R G E O N
E R G O N O M I C S
CAREER CRISIS
Does Pain Cause Doc Burnout?
IGNORED ISSUE Stressed surgeons are a bear to work with and more likely to cause errors.
The aim of every laparoscopic surgeon is to achieve instrument triangulation with the surgical site, but maintaining proper body posture and standing throughout cases, combined with the mental stress of coordinating 2D visual images with what the arms and hands are doing, are major stressors.
And that stress, both physical and mental, is under-acknowledged in surgical circles. Some stress can heighten the senses and actually facilitate performance, but it becomes troublesome when physical demands outweigh the body's potential to cope, which can hamper abilities to operate under stressful conditions — the hallmark of experienced surgeons.
According to research published in the April 2009 issue of JAMA
