Burnout affects a significant number of healthcare employees and leads to worsened mental health, increased job turnover, and patient safety events. Those caring for critically ill patients may be especially susceptible due to high patient mortality, long hours, and regular encounters with traumatic and ethical issues. Preliminary studies suggest that debriefing opportunities may reduce burnout through reflection on distressing patient events, enhancement of social support, and interprofessional collaboration. Death Cafés are a specific form of debriefing that focus on discussing death, dying, loss, and illness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether biweekly Death Cafe group debriefing sessions can prevent burnout in ICU physicians and staff.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
340
Death Cafés are a specific form of debriefing that focuses on discussing death, dying, loss, and illness. Nourishment in the form of cake is provided. These sessions may allow for reflection on distressing patient events while developing a sense of community and collaboration among hospital employees.
Tulane Medical Center
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
University Medical Center
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Children's Hospital New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Ochsner Medical Center
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Differences in Burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory Score (MBI).
This is a validated 22-item, self-reported questionnaire that asks respondents to indicate on a 7 point Likert scale the frequency of certain feelings related to their job. Presence of burnout is defined by high values of depersonalization and emotional exhaustion with low values for personal accomplishment. Changes in mean scores between groups and within groups over time will be assessed.
Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment
Differences in Depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8)
This is an 8 question validated questionnaire that asks respondents to indicate the frequency with which they have experienced certain symptoms consistent with depression. Higher scores mean higher frequency of depression symptoms, and a score of 10 or higher will be considered to indicate clinically significant depression. Changes in mean scores between groups and within groups over time will be assessed.
Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment
Differences in Anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Scale (GAD-7)
This is a 7 question validated questionnaire that asks respondents to indicate the frequency with which they have experienced certain symptoms consistent with anxiety. Higher scores mean higher frequency of anxiety symptoms, and a score of 10 or higher will be considered to indicate clinically significant anxiety. Changes in mean scores between groups and within groups over time will be assessed.
Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment
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