A Narrative Intervention with Oncology Professionals: Stress and Burnout Reduction Through an Interdisciplinary Group Process
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University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations School of Social Policy and Practice Spring 4-27-2010 A Narrative Intervention with Oncology Professionals: Stress and Burnout Reduction through an Interdisciplinary Group Process Nicole M. Saint-Louis University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2 Part of the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Saint-Louis, Nicole M., "A Narrative Intervention with Oncology Professionals: Stress and Burnout Reduction through an Interdisciplinary Group Process" (2010). Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations. 4. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/4 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/4 For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Narrative Intervention with Oncology Professionals: Stress and Burnout Reduction through an Interdisciplinary Group Process Abstract The increased prevalence of cancer diagnoses ensures that oncology healthcare professionals will be faced with more challenges than ever before in their work with cancer patients, especially in hospital environments. The literature demonstrates that professional caregivers are at risk for burnout (BO), compassion fatigue/secondary traumatic stress (CF/STS), job stress and job satisfaction and have minimal forums for which they can share their experiences. In an environment of ever-shrinking resources, it is imperative to use innovative methods to help the professionals cope with the day-to-day challenges of caring for terminally ill individuals. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated the efficacy of a narrative intervention group with oncology professionals. Forty oncology health care providers from three inpatient oncology units completed the Health Consultants’ Job Stress & Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (HCJJSQ), the Professional Quality of Life Scale: Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout and Fatigue Scale Version IV (ProQOL-CSF-R-IV), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) with subscales of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA), pre- and post-intervention along with post-session evaluations with three Likert questions and three open-ended questions in addition to ten in-depth interviews. Statistically significant decreases were found in BO, CF/STS, EE, DP, and job stress with significant increases in job satisfaction from the first month ot the fourth month. Professionals discussed the rigors of their work and their impressions of the narrative oncology groups reporting overall positive experiences with specific appreciation for shared perspectives and finding comfort within the narrative exchange. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Social Work (DSW) First Advisor Ram A. Cnaan, Ph.D. Second Advisor Joretha Bourjolly, Ph.D. Third Advisor Rita Charon, M.D., Ph.D. Keywords narrative, burnout, stress, oncology, group, interdisciplinary Subject Categories Social Work This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/4 A Narrative Intervention with Oncology Professionals: Stress and Burnout Reduction through an Interdisciplinary Group Process Nicole M. Saint-Louis A DISSERTATION in Social Work Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Social Work 2010 [Signature]_________________________ Ram A. Cnaan, Ph.D. Supervisor of Dissertation [Signature]_________________________ Richard J. Gelles, Ph.D. Dean, School of Social Policy and Practice Dissertation Committee Joretha Bourjolly, Ph.D. Associate Professor/ Clinician Educator Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Rita Charon, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director of the Program in Narrative Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Narrative Intervention ii Narrative Intervention iii Copyright by Nicole M. Saint-Louis 2010 Narrative Intervention iv Dedication To each of my colleagues from all professions who work tirelessly day in and day out fighting cancer and doing it with heart. It is a privilege and an honor to work with each of you. And to the memory of each and every patient that has crossed our paths Narrative Intervention v Acknowledgements This dissertation reflects the support, expertise, wisdom and knowledge of so many people. I wish to acknowledge my gratitude to each of them for their contributions to this research project. I am grateful to the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, fueled by the vision of Ram Cnaan and Lina Hartocollis for the re-creation of the DSW program. Without their innovative leadership this dissertation and the DSW Class of 2010 would never have been realized. I am forever thankful to my intrepid Dissertation Chair, Ram Cnaan for his sound advice, honest critiques, always given with overwhelming support and encouragement. I feel that under his expert tutelage, I have been able to grow into a better researcher and practitioner. Next, I would like to thank Jerri Bourjolly for her time, guidance, and knowledge and sensitivity to those who experience cancer. She has been an integral part of my decision to both pursue my doctorate and to study the oncology population. Her support began as far back as practice class while in my Master’s program and over the years she was always willing to sit down with me and share knowledge and advice. Additionally, I owe a debt of gratitude to Rita Charon, without whom this thesis would not be possible and who sparked my interest and affinity for narrative medicine. From the moment I attended her session on narrative medicine at Penn’s Bioethics seminar in 2006, I knew I was hooked on this burgeoning field that combined all of my passions. I am so thankful for her support over the years and for agreeing to be on my committee, for speaking at the Kelly Writer’s House Word.doc program, and for the amazing experience created for us in that first narrative medicine session in the Fall of 2006 and the subsequent advance training session a year Narrative Intervention vi later. Her writing and pioneering spirit are what I aspire to and her contributions to the field go without saying. I would be remiss if I did not also thank all of the members of the Columbia Narrative Medicine program, Sayantani DasGupta, Marsha Hurst, Craig Irvine, Eric Marcus, Maura Spiegel and Patricia Stanley and to all of the friends made at each of the Narrative Sessions. A very special thanks to Jack Truten for his expert facilitation skills in conducting narrative sessions at HUP, his tireless work on Narrative professionalism and also for his friendship. Humble thanks to Alan Wasserstein who included me on the Narrative professionalism committee at HUP and whose continued advocacy and vision are sparking a grass roots narrative movement in our hospital. And to the visionaries at the Kelly Writer’s House who entrusted me with the leadership of the Word.doc program while the funding lasted. I would like to thank my first research mentor, Dr. Margaret Stineman, who planted the seed of returning to school and who supported my education in every aspect. I will never forget our time together. I would like to thank Bernie Newman for taking a chance on me a blessing me with my first teaching endeavor and for taking an interest in my research. Additionally, I am grateful to Jonathan Singer whose friendship; guidance and advice not only helped me with teaching, but also gave me direction in my dissertation. Thank you for allowing me to discuss my research and for telling me about your research. I am happy to know that there are social workers like you teaching the next generation. I am also forever grateful to the flexibility and support of my employer, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and my direct supervisor, Associate Director and Director of the Clinical Resource Management and Social Work Department, Tracy Griffith, Patti Meehan and Narrative Intervention vii Kelly Cooke respectively. Their support helped me balance the often-insurmountable challenge of my work responsibilities at HUP with my academic work. Additionally, I am so appreciative of the support of my colleagues, Deborah Lowenstein and Erika Parker who covered for me on multiple occasions while I took time off to work on this dissertation and who always had words of encouragement for me. Numerous individuals were instrumental in helping me accomplish this project, by supporting the adoption of narrative oncology on each of the three inpatient units, by making it possible for nurses to attend sessions and for their encouragement; Kirsten McClintock- McGroarty, Mary Denno, Teresa Kider, Amy Moore, Katie Wiley, Kristen Wisniewski, and David Porter. I would also like to thank each of the nurses on each of the three oncology units, especially my colleagues on Rhoads 6 who supported me in all respects—there are too many of you to name, but I adore all of you. I am thankful to my fellow cohortmates that took this enormous journey with me and who I will always admire. I cherish our three-years of memories. I want to especially acknowledge and appreciate Angel Hogan for everything that she does everyday, from the bottomless carafe of coffee and all the delicious meals that kept us going through those long days and evenings, to arranging dissertation defenses and helping the DSW program function with a smile and with kindness. I have never once heard you complain about anything. I would be remiss if I did not thank my closest colleague and friend, Sabrina Jiles who endured countless hours of listening to my research, classwork, teaching and personal life. Without your friendship and compassion, I would have had a meltdown, plus it is fun to be your friend. Narrative Intervention viii Lastly, I need to thank my soulmate, my best friend, my confidant, my cheerleader and coach, my husband George Saint-Louis, who always has my back, who loves me unconditionally and without whom I would not be completing this dissertation.