Delivery of a psychological intervention to assess and reduce workplace stress among intensive care staff

Dorothy Wade; Milena Georgieva; Hein Gunnewicht; Jacqui Finnigan; Niall MacCallum

doi:10.1177/1751143719884855

Delivery of a psychological intervention to assess and reduce workplace stress among intensive care staff

J Intensive Care Soc. 2021 Feb;22(1):52-59. doi: 10.1177/1751143719884855. Epub 2020 Jan 26.

Authors

Dorothy Wade^{1

2}, Milena Georgieva¹, Hein Gunnewicht¹, Jacqui Finnigan³, Niall MacCallum^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Critical Care Department, University College Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
² National Institute for Health Research, University College London Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.
³ Staff Psychology And Welfare Service, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Abstract

Introduction: Intensive care staff have high levels of stress. We conducted a service improvement initiative to assess workplace stress levels among staff in one adult general intensive care unit and deliver a stress management intervention.

Methods: A psychological intervention of four stress management sessions, and fortnightly staff support drop-in groups, was developed and delivered within a year. Pre- and post-intervention, workplace stress in the unit was assessed using a Health and Safety Executive tool.

Results: Pre-intervention assessment of 76 (47.2%) staff indicated that improvement was needed in all domains of workplace stress. 125 staff (77.6%) participated in the intervention and gave positive ratings for content, relevance, practicality and personal value (median 4 (1-5); interquartile range 3.8-4.6). Post-intervention assessment of 71 staff (41.3%) demonstrated improvements in all workplace stress domains.

Conclusion: A reduction in workplace stress was observed following a service improvement intervention in one intensive care unit although no causality can be assumed. Similar interventions should be evaluated using robust study designs.

Keywords: Workplace stress; burnout; intensive care staff; stress management intervention.