Evaluating a peer-led wellbeing programme for doctors-in-training during the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria, Australia, using the Most Significant Change technique
| Author | William Crinall,Daniel L Rolnik,James Aridas,Karen Crinall,Madeleine Ward,Rebecca McDonald |
| Date | 01 June 2022 |
| Published date | 01 June 2022 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1035719X221080576 |
| Subject Matter | Practice Articles |
Practice Article
Evaluation Journal of Australasia
2022, Vol. 22(2) 90–107
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/1035719X221080576
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Evaluating a peer-led
wellbeing programme for
doctors-in-training during the
COVID-19 pandemic in
Victoria, Australia, using the
Most Significant Change
technique
Karen Crinall
Crinall Consulting, VIC, Australia
Madeleine Ward and Rebecca McDonald
Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
William Crinall
Federation University Australia, Cowes, VIC, Australia
James Aridas
Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia; The Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton,
VIC, Australia
Daniel L Rolnik
Monash Health, Clayton, VIC, Australia; Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
Abstract
ThisarticlediscussestheuseoftheMostSignificant Change (MSC) technique in a
mixed-methods evaluation of a pilot wellbeing programme for obstetrics and
gynaecology doctors-in-training introduced at a large public hospital during Mel-
bourne, Australia’s second coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, which occurred
Corresponding author:
Karen Crinall, Crinall Consulting, VIC, Australia
Email: crinallconsulting@gmail.com or kmcrinall@gmail.com
from 7 July to 26 October 2020. The evaluation was conducted remotely using
videoconferencing technology, to conform with pandemic restrictions. MSC
complemented the program’s participatory principles and was chosen because it
seeks to learn about participants’perceptions of programme impacts by evaluating
their stories of significant change. Stakeholders select one story exemplifying the
most significant change resulting from the evaluated program. Inductive thematic
analysis of all stories is combined with reasons for making the selection, to inform
learnings (Dart & Davies, 2003;Tonkin et al., 2021). Nine stories of change were
included in the selection. The most significant change was a more supportive
workplace culture brought about by enabling basic needs to be met and breaking
down hierarchical barriers. This was linked to five interconnected themes –
connection, caring, communication, confidence and cooperation. The evaluation
learnings are explored and reflections on remotely conducting MSC evaluation are
shared.
Keywords
Most Significant Change technique, COVID-19 pandemic, workplace wellbeing
programmes, pandemic kindness movement, doctors-in-training, Zoom, healthcare
programme evaluation
Introduction
This article discusses learnings from the evaluation of a pilot wellbeing programme
for obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) doctors-in-training (DiT) at a large public
hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia –during the state’s second coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic lockdown, from 7 July to 26 October 2020. The Most
Significant Change (MSC) technique was chosen as a qualitative evaluation
method to learn about participants’experience of change, to identify outcomes of
most significance and to inform development and implementation of future pro-
grammes. Due to physical distancing requirements, the evaluation was conducted
remotely using Zoom (San Jose, CA: Zoom Video Communications Inc) video-
conferencing for interviews and meetings.
The programme and its evaluation are uniquely situated. Since January 2020,
the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated population health and wellbeing concerns
across the world, with Melbourne, Australia being locked down longer than any
city, totalling 262 days (Reuters, 2021). Against this backdrop, we explore several
topics yet to emerge in the literature: the application of the MSC technique to
evaluating a workplace wellbeing programme, learnings and key themes for
consideration when developing similar programmes, and reflections on using
remote communication technologies, such as Zoom, when using the MSC
technique.
Crinall et al.91
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