Positive communication for decreasing burnout in intensive-care-unit staff: a cluster-randomized trial

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Occupational Health
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Occupational burnout is a prevalent issue among intensive care unit (ICU) staff.
• Burnout negatively impacts healthcare professionals' well-being and the quality of patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a multicomponent intervention aimed at reducing burnout among ICU staff.
• The intervention focused on enhancing organizational support and improving the workplace climate.

Main Methods:

• A 1:1 cluster-randomized trial (Hello trial) involving 370 ICUs across sixty countries.
• The intervention included posters, email nudges, positive messaging, and role modeling over four weeks.
• Burnout prevalence was the primary endpoint, measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Main Results:

• Burnout prevalence decreased from 59.4% to 52.2% in the intervention arm compared to controls (63.3%).
• The intervention group showed lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and higher personal accomplishment.
• Improved job satisfaction, workplace safety, ethical climate, and reduced intention to leave were reported in the intervention arm.

Conclusions:

• The Hello intervention effectively reduced burnout and fostered a positive workplace culture in ICUs.
• The pragmatic design suggests broad applicability of this intervention for critical care settings.