Feasibility of Stress Management Education Delivered Via Virtual Classroom in Nursing Homes: a Pilot Study of a RCT

GCS CIPS30 enrolled

Overview

The aim of this cluster-randomised pilot study is to assess the feasibility of a remote stress management programme to reduce occupational stress in healthcare workers in specialised care units of nursing homes. Secondary aims are to assess the effectiveness of the programme in reducing stress in care workers and reducing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residents. Participants randomised to the experimental cluster will follow the stress management programme delivered in a virtual classroom. Participants randomised to the control cluster will be placed on a waiting list. The primary outcome measure will be the participation rate in the study. Other secondary outcomes will include measures of heart rate variability (as a marker of physiological stress) and scores on specific questionnaires for stress, anxiety and risk of burnout in nursing staff in the specialised care units, and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and quality of life in residents in the specialised care units. Both clusters will complete the same assessments. Participants in the experimental cluster will follow a three-course programme with a psychologist via videoconferencing over a period of 2 months. After the study's final evaluation visit, which will take place one month after the programme, participants in the control cluster will be offered the opportunity to follow the same programme.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Occupational Stress

Interventions

Stress managementBEHAVIORAL

Ten-hour, three-course stress management programme with a psychologist via video conferencing over a 2 month period. The classes will be delivered in small groups of maximum seven care workers. Carers can be brought together in the same room, but the speaker will necessarily be at a distance, via videoconferencing. The formation will adress the following issues: i) Understanding the mechanisms of stress, ii) Identifying sources of stress and triggers, iii) Anticipate stressful situations and use their resources to prevent them, and iv) Use the most appropriate stress-reduction techniques, depending on their sensitivity.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Having a caring relationship with residents (e.g. nurses, nursing assistants) * Working in the specialised care unit of the nursing home * Working in the nursing home for at least 3 months on the date of inclusion and whose employment contract does not end within 3 months of the date of inclusion. * Obtaining express written informed consent, after a period of reflection Exclusion Criteria: * Person in a period of relative exclusion in relation to another protocol * Person who is not affiliated to or does not benefit from a social security scheme. * Pregnant or lactating woman * Participant unable to give consent * Person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision * Person unable to understand, speak, read and write French

Locations (4)

Korian La Colombe

Gigean, France, France

Korian Le Clos de l'orchidée

Narbonne, Occitanie, France

Korian Parc de l'abbaye

Saint-Cyr-l'École, Île-de-France Region, France

Korian Parc des dames

Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Île-de-France Region, France

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Participation rate

Participation rate defined as the ratio of the number of participants who completed all study visits to the number of care professionals who agreed to participate.

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 3 months

Secondary Outcomes

Acceptance rate

Ratio between the total number of eligible healthcare workers and the number of healthcare worker who accept to be enrolled in the study.

Time frame: At enrollment

Retention rate

Ratio between the number of care professionals still present at the last visit of the study and the number of care professionals included in the study

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 3 months

Adherence

Average number of visits attended by each participant.

Time frame: From the beginning to the end of the study, at 3 months

Quality of the intervention

Feedback on the relevance of the training and its contribution through semi-directive interviews and focus groups in participants and in managers and directors of the nursing homes.

Time frame: At the end of the intervention, at 3 months

Cost of the programme

Total cost of the stress management program including the costs incurred to enable the employee to follow the training and/or the costs incurred to replace the absence of the employee in the service

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 3 months

Heart rate variability

Recording of resting heart rate variability assessed by RMSSD, SDNN, LF and HF markers.

Time frame: Baseline and 3 months

Occupational stress

Score on the Work Place Stress Scale