| Sumario: | Significance & Background: Burnout and compassion fatigue are forms of physical and emotional exhaustion common among caregivers. Burnout stems from chronic workplace stress, while compassion fatigue involves reduced empathy toward others (Kelly, 2020). Contributing factors include long shifts, high patient loads, moral distress, and organizational challenges. The Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation study (Gould et al., 2019) highlighted stress, workplace violence, lack of breaks, and poor nutrition and exercise among nurses. Effective strategies include self-care (sleep, exercise, diet, relaxation), peer support, professional development, and fostering a positive work environment. Purpose: Results of a recent survey indicated that nurses working in a 96-bed cancer hospital were experiencing various degrees of burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue. The oncology leadership team met with pastoral care to jointly develop a program to support nursing staff and decrease work related stress. Interventions: A survey of staff was conducted to identify (1) if staff were experiencing stress, (2) symptoms experienced, and (3) activities that staff would be interested in participating. Survey results were reviewed by the team and interventions were identified to facilitate wellbeing. Results: Participants included 35 registered nurses, 9 patient care technicians, and 1 respondent did not select their current position. An initial email was sent to nursing staff describing next steps based on survey results. 48.8% of respondents indicated always or very often a high stress work environment and 48.1% were always or very often fatigued. 39.6% indicated they were always or very often overworked while 15.9% of respondents indicated always or very often a lack of support. Interventions included the introduction of angel lights which were to be lit for a unit identified period of time after a patient death, team building events such as unit potlucks, pastoral care events such as the ritual release of stress or the weight of the day at the end of the shift and teatime with the chaplains to visit after an unanticipated event. Discussion: Additional interventions are underway, with staff scheduled to be resurveyed six months after implementation. As patient care grows more complex, supporting nurses is essential. Wellbeing, both personal and professional, affects health, care quality, job satisfaction, relationships, and work-life balance. Providing resources helps cultivate a healthier, more engaged workforce.
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