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Burnout, staff support, and coping in Pediatric Oncology

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Abstract

Goals of work

The goals of the study were the following: (1) to study the rate of burnout of the staff in Pediatric Oncology and compare it with that of a group of staff in other pediatric specialties, (2) to find out if job satisfaction, role clarity, staff support, and ways of coping are related to the burnout of these two groups, and (3) as a secondary aim, to identify other parameters, i.e., profession, experience, having children, etc., which might affect burnout, staff support, and ways of coping.

Materials and methods

The study group (n = 58) consisted of the staff of two Pediatric Oncology units and a Bone Marrow Transplantation unit, and the control group (n = 55) consisted of the staff of two Pediatric departments and one Pediatric Orthopedics department. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Staff Support Questionnaire, the Shortened Ways of Coping Questionnaire—Revised, and the Social Readjustment Scale were used.

Main results

No differences were found in burnout between Pediatric Oncology staff and that of other specialties, the existing staff support, and the ways of coping. Decreased role clarity and wishful thinking, as a way of coping, were positively correlated to emotional exhaustion, whereas a negative correlation of the lack of role clarity existed with personal accomplishment. Not having children and less experience increased burnout in both groups studied.

Conclusions

The hospital management and the heads of departments should be knowledgeable of ways to prevent burnout in their staff. Strategies targeting role clarity and wishful thinking are useful toward this goal.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the European Central Bank, which through the Europoint program supported our study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Psychiatry Department, University of Athens’ Medical School, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    M. Liakopoulou

  2. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    I. Panaretaki, V. Papadakis, A. Katsika, S. Polychronopoulou & S. Haidas

  3. Institute of Child Health, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    J. Sarafidou

  4. First Department of Pediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    H. Laskari

  5. Second Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    I. Anastasopoulos

  6. Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    G. Vessalas

  7. Department of Pediatric Oncology, “P. and A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    D. Bouhoutsou

  8. Second Department of Pediatrics, University of Athens’ Medical School, “P. and A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    V. Papaevangelou

Authors
  1. M. Liakopoulou
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  2. I. Panaretaki
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  7. I. Anastasopoulos
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  9. D. Bouhoutsou
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  10. V. Papaevangelou
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  11. S. Polychronopoulou
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  12. S. Haidas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Liakopoulou.

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Liakopoulou, M., Panaretaki, I., Papadakis, V. et al. Burnout, staff support, and coping in Pediatric Oncology. Support Care Cancer 16, 143–150 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0297-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0297-9

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