title: Role of the mental health professional in education and support of the medical staff.
abstract: This review argues that mental health professionals are underutilized in the reproductive health care system. Counselors in the field of reproductive medicine could broaden their care from a strictly one-on-one patient care perspective to a more integrated and collaborative approach that also involves education, training, and support of the fertility clinic staff. The literature has shed light on reasons for patient discontinuation, but little is known about staff burnout in reproductive health care, and even less has been done to address work-related stress, job dissatisfaction, and poor emotional and physical health among fertility clinic staff. Specific educational strategies and training techniques are addressed to help reduce staff stress, prevent burnout, and improve overall patient care.
authors.affiliation: The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York. Electronic address: eag2001@med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grill
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Assisted reproductive technology; fertility clinic; psychological counseling; quality of care; staff burnout