In line with our 2024 Annual Theme, we celebrated World Anaesthesia Day on 16 October by asking anaesthesia professionals to advocate for improved workforce well-being
Good well-being among healthcare providers is vital for ensuring patient safety and enhancing health outcomes in the communities we serve. However, the demands of long hours, high stress, and the critical nature of this work can lead to burnout and other well-being challenges – it’s imperative that we continue to strengthen support systems for those who dedicate themselves to patient care.
Building on the insights of the WFSA Annual Theme 2024: Workforce Well-Being, World Anaesthesia Day 2024 (WAD24) advocated for supporting the mental, emotional, and physical health of anaesthesia professionals around the world.
In celebration of WAD24, WFSA developed a bespoke #WellAnaesthesia photobooth, hosted a special well-being yoga session, and held a Workforce Well-Being webinar featuring insights from expert panellists.
On October 16, social media was abuzz with #WAD24-themed photobooth snapshots (1000+ photos were taken in the booth), #WAD24 cakes and decorations, specially-printed #WorkforceWellbeing t-shirts, and #WellAnaesthesia tips and resources shared by anaesthesiologists in hundreds of countries.
With over 5000 related posts, ‘World Anaesthesia Day 2024: Workforce Wellbeing’ trended on Twitter – a fantastic feat that helped amplify the voice of anaesthesiologists across the globe.
WAD2024: Enhancing Workforce Well-Being Webinar
Chaired by WFSA’s Workforce Well-being Committee Chair Dr Susan Nicoll (New Zealand), the World Anaesthesia Day Workforce Well-Being webinar included expert speakers Dr Juliet Hull (UK), Dr Mary T. Nabukenya (Uganda) and Prof. Stanton K. Shernan (USA).
The webinar, which was translated into Spanish and French, covered topics such as education, advocacy and collaboration for workforce well-being in Africa, as well as the global impact of anaesthesia mentorship programmes on well-being. The webinar ended with a 10-minute Q+A.
The talk is available to watch online in three languages:
Yoga for well-being online session
The World Anaesthesia Day yoga session, led by WFSA Secretary Balavenkatasubramanian Jagannathan (India) and Dr Veena Singh of the Isha Foundation, detailed transformative tools that have the potential to improve healthcare professionals’ mental, physical and emotional well-being.
The session ran at two different times during the day. The recording is available to watch below – no previous yoga experience, fitness level or flexibility is required:
#WellAnaesthesia round-up
Anaesthesia professionals took to social media on 16 October to share photos from our #WellAnaesthesia booth, homemade #WAD24 banners and cakes, alongside well-being tips, resources and activities.
Here are some favourites:
