Improving Health of Nurses With Burnout Through Positive Psychological Intervention

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Burnout is usually regarded as a response to chronic professional stressors like high workload, unfavorable emotion and complex interpersonal relationships. A high prevalence of burnout was found in many countries, and large-scale studies also showed high levels of burnout in Chinese nurses. As a stress-related syndrome, burnout was found to have detrimental influences on both psychological and physical health of nurses. Psychological problems such as depression and insomnia are verified to be associated with burnout. Endocrine dysfunction such as abnormal cortisol secretion rhythm occurred in shift-work nurses. Thyroid dysfunction was increasing and a sample of nurses were diagnosed with thyroid nodules and thyroid hormonal disorder during annual physical examination. Therefore, it is important to take measures to alleviate nurses' burnout to improve health. Positive psychological interventions are defined as treatment methods or intentional activities to enhance person's positive emotions, cognitions and behaviours. In these methods and activities, people are usually required to finish a systematic exercise. According to a recent meta-analysis, Positive psychological interventions showed effectiveness in enhancing participants' well-being and reducing depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study aims to explore whether positive psychological intervention could reduce burnout and improve health of nurses.

Official Title
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An Evaluation of Positive Psychological Intervention on Improving Health of Nurses With Burnout

Conditions
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Burnout

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Positive psychological intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: officially employed licensed nurses; burnout score higher than 1.49; had a telephone on which WeChat could be installed. Exclusion Criteria: pregnant; current endocrine disorder; taking hormone drugs such as contraceptives.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention group<br>Nurses with burnout are recruited in the intervention group and participate in positive psychological intervention. | Other: Positive psychological intervention<br>* Participants in the intervention group are required to record three good things every night before sleeping for five days a week using WeChat. Such things could be ordinary, minor or important. WeChat is a common communication tool used in China, just like Facebook, basic messages could be sent individually and posting pictures or texts is also available.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control group<br>Nurses with burnout are recruited in the control group and none interventions are conducted to them. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Baseline Burnout at six months | Burnout of nurses is measured by Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. | 
| Change from Baseline Morning Plasma Cortisol at six months | The level of cortisol is assayed by using chemiluminescence method. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. | 
| Change from Baseline Thyroid Related Hormones at six months | Triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are assayed by using chemiluminescence method. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Baseline Resilience at six months | Resilience of nurses is measured by Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. | 
| Change from Baseline Coping at six months | The level of coping among nurses is measured by Trait Coping Style Questionnaire. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. | 
| Change from Baseline Self-efficacy at six months | The level of self-efficacy among nurses is measured by General Self-Efficacy Scale. | The measurement was taken at baseline and six months. |