Jane Phillips1, Lisa Andrews2, Louise Hickman3. 1. School of Nursing, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Cunningham Centre for Palliative Care, Sacred Heart Hospice, St Vincent's Hospital, Health Network, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia jane.phillips@nd.edu.au. 2. School of Nursing, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 3. Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether burnout, role ambiguity, or conflict affects Australian hospice volunteers. METHOD: Hospice volunteers (n = 120) were invited to participate in this pilot survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the free-text responses were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Guidelines have been used to report this data. RESULTS: A total of 97 participants completed the survey. The majority were middle-aged women who had been palliative care volunteers for more than 7 years and volunteered 14 hours/week (median). Participants reported low levels of role ambiguity (x = 8.4, standard deviation [SD] ±3.0) and conflict (x = 9.8, SD ±3.4) and described enjoying their volunteering and having no symptoms of burnout (76%). SIGNIFICANCE: Active hospice volunteers report low levels of role ambiguity, conflict, and burnout. Adopting a range of self-care strategies and working within a structured volunteer program appear to be important protective factors.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether burnout, role ambiguity, or conflict affects Australian hospice volunteers. METHOD: Hospice volunteers (n = 120) were invited to participate in this pilot survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the free-text responses were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Guidelines have been used to report this data. RESULTS: A total of 97 participants completed the survey. The majority were middle-aged women who had been palliative care volunteers for more than 7 years and volunteered 14 hours/week (median). Participants reported low levels of role ambiguity (x = 8.4, standard deviation [SD] ±3.0) and conflict (x = 9.8, SD ±3.4) and described enjoying their volunteering and having no symptoms of burnout (76%). SIGNIFICANCE: Active hospice volunteers report low levels of role ambiguity, conflict, and burnout. Adopting a range of self-care strategies and working within a structured volunteer program appear to be important protective factors.
Authors: Catherine Henshall; Andrea Doherty; Helen Green; Liz Westcott; Helen Aveyard Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2018-09-10 Impact factor: 2.655