Multimodal program reduces job stress in ICU nurses

Editor's Note

In this study, a multimodal program that included education, role-play, and debriefing resulted in a lower prevalence of job stress in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

A total of 198 ICU nurses from 8 hospitals in France were randomized to the multimodal program intervention group (101 nurses) or to the control group (97 nurses).

At 6-month follow up, the prevalence of job stress was significantly reduced in the intervention group, compared to the control group (13% vs 67%, respectively). Absenteeism was 1% in the intervention group and 8% in the control group. Four nurses (4%) from the intervention group left the ICU during follow up, compared with 12 nurses (12%) in the control group.

These results need to be reassessed in different places around the world, and further research is needed to understand which components of the program contributed to the results and whether the program is cost-effective, the authors say.