One-day workshop ups stress recovery for cancer care workers

(HealthDay)—For cancer care workers, a one-day interventional workshop can improve recovery from job stress, according to a study published online June 10 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.

Anne A. Poulsen, Ph.D., from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues examined the effects of a one-day workshop plus educational material versus written educational material alone among 70 cancer care workers. The authors assessed recovery experiences, satisfaction with recovery-related self-care practices, and perceived sleep quality.

The researchers found that there were greater mean changes in total recovery experiences (P = 0.008), self-care satisfaction (P = 0.005), and perceived sleep quality (P = 0.003) at six weeks after the workshop for workshop participants. Over the six-week period there was a decrease in the scores of the control group for all measures. Workshop participants did not experience this decline but exhibited increased mean scores versus controls, with a significant main effect six weeks after the workshop (P = 0.008).

"A one-day intervention workshop improved recovery skills, satisfaction with self-care practices, and perceived sleep quality of oncology nurses and radiation therapists," the authors write. "This intervention has the potential to enhance resilience and prevent burnout at different points in a cancer worker's career."

Poulsen is the director of Work Life Balance Solutions.

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