Wellbeing and Resilience of the Intensive Care Workforce

“Burnout has been recognised as an occupational hazard, and it is endemic amongst healthcare professionals globally. Medical, nursing and allied health professionals working in intensive care are subject to highly stressful events and a high-pressure environment. Understanding how they cope (or not cope) is essential to designing interventions to protect their mental health and maintain their ability to work effectively.”

- Chamberlain

In Australia there are over 200 intensive care units that provide a rolling exponential service to the broader community through acute care facilities with an over 30,000-person workforce. Previous work has reported that burnout was at epidemic levels even before the COVID-19 pandemic with 30% of these clinicians experiencing at least one symptom of burnout.

Described nearly half a century ago, burnout is defined as a work-related condition characterised by three symptoms: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment which can develop into a chronic health condition.

Goal

Reduce burnout and improve wellbeing among healthcare professionals in high-pressure work environments.

Aims

To understand the effects and levels of burnout and related traits amongst intensive care professionals in Australia, Canada and New Zealand
To determine the best-available evidence for prevention, or reduction of effects of, burnout in health professionals in intensive care work environments
Co-design interventions with impact that reduce or prevent burnout and improve wellbeing among healthcare professionals
Pilot, trial and publish results of the interventions in the intensive care workforce in Australia.

Researchers

From Flinders
Associate Professor Diane Chamberlain
Dr Sarah Hunter
Dr Claire Baldwin

Grant Details

TBC

Collaborators

Curtin University, Central Queensland University, Murdoch University, Griffith University, University Technology Sydney, University of Sydney

Project Partners

Australian College of Critical Care Nurses, Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, College of Intensive Care Medicine, International Collaboration for Occupational Resilience, Intensive Care Clinical Trials Group, International intensive care organisations – Canada, US, Singapore, Europe, UK