4444 - Impact of Burn-Out Syndrome in Oncology personnel and its improvement through specific interventions

Background

Burn-Out Syndrome (BOS) in oncology nurses, has few experiences reported about its incidence and impact in its three different areas: emotional and physical exhaustion, cynism and despersonalization and no personal nor profesional fulfillment. There is a lack of resources for its diagnosis and management, although it impacts negatively in the patient attention/ care quality and the quality of institutional processes, added the personal impact in personal workers lives. Our objective was to determine the incidence of the BOS in our workers, analyze its causes and reduce in 20% the percentage of workers suffering or at risk of suffering BOS.

Methods

23 nurses / nurse assistants from Medical Oncology Department at University General Hospital of Valencia fulfilled an anomized questionnaire that included personal details, the GHQ-12 evaluation and the Maslach index questions; both at baseline and after each intervention. Causes of BOS were analysed, and process map and Ishikawa fish-bone scheme were designed. Interventions were carried in consequence. Data analyze through SPSS.

Results

23 subjects, 87% women, 47 years old median age. 15 at ward, 8 at clinic. 90% > 5 years in Oncology. At baseline, 75% GHQ-12 good health. Maslach index: 70%, 45% and 55% in risk (medium+high) of BOS related to exhaustion, despersonalization or fulfillment, respectively. In exhaustion, 35% medium risk, 35% high risk of BOS. Priority-matrix development, ergonomy tips and self-improvement tools identified as adequated interventions. After ergonomy tips intervention, 90% GHQ-12 good health, 15% exhaustion medium risk and 50% high risk; 65% at risk of BOS related to exhaustion. Improvement of 5% lowering risk of suffering BOS.

Conclusions

BOS is complex to measure due to answer subjetivity. We have healthier workers, but although levels of exhaustion have decreased, those who were already exhausted are worse than before. Possible causes: renovation work on the clinic, labor inestability, local holidays during evaluation. Self-improvement tools sessions are now being held to reduce risk ot BOS. Reevaluation of activity will be definitory of its success.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.