Assessing relational coordination and its impact on perceived mental health of students, teachers and staff in a clinical skills program during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: The global spread of the COVID-19 virus caused unprecedented interruptions in medical education. This paper evaluates Relational Coordination (RC): communicating and relating for task integration; between the distinct stakeholders responsible for scheduling,delivering and receiving clinical teaching in the wake of the pandemic. METHODOLOGY: Using a cross-sectional design, the level of Relational Coordination was assessed between twelve groups within a Clinical Skills Program at a Medical School in the United Arab Emirates. It also measures three relevant mental health factors: namely, Job satisfaction, Work Engagement, and Burnout. RESULTS: Overall, RC scores were moderate (3.65 out of 5.00). Controlling for participants' position, RC was found to positively and significantly increase both job satisfaction (β = 1.10, p < 0.001) and work engagement (β = 0.78, p < 0.01)., Additionally, RC was significantly associated with lower burnout (β = -0.56, p = 0.05). Fifty percent of participants experienced high job satisfaction, with a mean score of 5.0 out of 7.0, while 73% reported being enthusiastic about their job, with a mean score of 6.0 out of 7.0. About a third of participants (27%) reported feeling burnout. CONCLUSIONS: During times of disruption and crisis, medical education can benefit from higher levels of relational coordination. Our study shows the significant impact of relational coordination on mental health measures like job satisfaction and work engagement. To achieve the full potential and benefits of excellent levels of relational coordination in this program, we recommend six interventions focusing on improving communication, work processes, regular meetings, education innovations, capacity building, and the establishment of coaching and counseling programs for students and faculty. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-022-03828-3.