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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04347811

Use of Death Cafes to Prevent Burnout in ICU Healthcare Employees

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Burnout Anxiety Anxiety Disorders Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Professional Burnout, Psychological Death Depression Mental Disorders Occupational Diseases Occupational Stress Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Stress, Psychological

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Children's Hospital New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, or therapists working in the Intensive Care Unit and have worked for the full-time equivalent of at least 1 week in the preceding 4 weeks

Exclusion criteria

  • Not physicians, nurses, pharmacists, or therapists
  • Have worked less than the full-time equivalent of at least 1 week in the preceding 4 weeks

Treatment and study plan

Death Cafe

Behavioral

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Differences in Burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory Score (MBI).

    Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment

    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.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Differences in Depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8)

    Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment

    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.

  2. Differences in Anxiety as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Scale (GAD-7)

    Time frame: At the time of enrollment and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months after enrollment

    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.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tulane University School of Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • Spirit of Charity Foundation - University Medical Center

Registry information

Official study title

Systematic Trial Of PrevenTing Healthcare Employee Burnout: Using Reflection & Nourishment

Acronym: STOPTHEBURN

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Apr 15, 2020
Registry last updated
Feb 6, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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