title: The effects of a multimodal training program on burnout syndrome in gynecologic oncology nurses and on the multidisciplinary psychosocial care of gynecologic cancer patients: an Italian experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In cancer care, the burden of psycho-emotional elements involved on the patient-healthcare provider relationship cannot be ignored. The aim of this work is to have an impact on the level of burnout experienced by European Institute of Oncology (IEO) gynecologic oncology nurses (N = 14) and on quality of multidisciplinary team work.
  
  
  METHODS
  We designed a 12 session multimodal training program consisting of a 1.5 hour theoretical lesson on a specific issue related to gynecologic cancer patient care, 20 minute projection of a short film, and 1.75 hours of role-playing exercises and experiential exchanges. The Link Burnout Questionnaire (Santinello, 2007) was administered before and after the completion of the intervention. We also monitored the number of patients referred to the Psycho-oncology Service as an indicator of the efficacy of the multidisciplinary approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the completion of the program, the general level of burnout significantly diminished (p = 0.02); in particular, a significant decrease was observed in the "personal inefficacy" subscale (p = 0.01). The number of patients referred to the Psycho-oncology Service increased by 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses are in the first line of those seeing patients through the entire course of the disease. For this reason, they are at a particularly high risk of developing work-related distress. Structured training programs can be a valid answer to work-related distress, and feeling part of a multidisciplinary team helps in providing patients with better psychosocial care.
authors.affiliation: Psycho-oncology Unit, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Lupo
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Arnaboldi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Anna
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beltrami
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Mazzoleni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Didier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008875:Middle Aged; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010348:Patient Care Team; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires