Healthcare Professionals' Work-Related Stress in Palliative Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Providing palliative care can lead to work-related stress and ultimately to burnout. The need for palliative care will further increase due to population aging and people living longer with life-threatening diseases. Therefore, a healthy palliative care workforce is vital.

This study aims to get insight into the experienced work-related stress among healthcare professionals providing palliative care in the Netherlands and their strategies and needs in relation to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

A cross-sectional online survey among members of the Dutch Association for Palliative Care Professionals was conducted between February and March 2020. Burnout was assessed by the validated Burnout Assessment Tool. Self-constructed questions assessed strategies and needs of healthcare professionals providing palliative care regarding work-related stress.

In total 179 eligible respondents responded (response rate 54%). Respondents were mostly female (79%) and older than 50 years (66%). Most respondents were nurses (47%) and physicians (39%). Two-thirds of respondents (69%) experienced a median level of burnout and 2% a (very) high level. Furthermore, 7% had been on sick leave due to burnout. Although healthcare professionals engage on average in 3.7 coping activities, a quarter (23%) felt that these activities were not sufficient to maintain balanced. Respondents feel a need for activities aimed at the team and organisation level such as feeling emotionally safe within their team.

Symptoms of burnout are quite prevalent among healthcare professionals providing palliative care in the Netherlands. Healthcare professionals have a need for team and organisation approaches to maintain a healthy work-life balance.