Is this the solution to wellbeing and burnout management for the critical care workforce? A parallel, interventional, feasibility and realist informed pilot randomized control trial protocol

Critical care healthcare professionals are at high risk in developing burnout and mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. High demands and the lack of resources lead to decreased job performance and organizational commitment, low work engagement, and increases emotional exhaustion and feelings of loneliness. Peer support and problem-solving approaches demonstrate promising evidence as it targets workplace loneliness, emotional exhaustion, promotes work engagement, and supports adaptive coping behaviors. Tailoring of interventions have also shown to be effective in influencing attitudes and behavior changes, attending to the individual experience and specific needs of end-users. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility and user-perceived acceptability of a combined intervention (Individualized Management Plan (IMP) and Professional Problem-Solving Peer (PPSP) debrief) in critical care healthcare professionals. This protocol was registered in the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622000749707p). A two-arm randomized controlled trial, with pre-post-follow-up repeated measures intergroup design with 1:1 allocation ratio to either 1) treatment group–IMP and PPSP debrief, or 2) active control group–informal peer debrief. The primary outcomes will be conducted by assessing the recruitment process enrolment, intervention delivery, data collection, completion of assessment measures, user engagement and satisfaction. The secondary outcomes will explore preliminary effectiveness of the intervention using self-reported questionnaire instruments from baseline to 3-months. This study will provide the interventions’ feasibility and acceptability data for critical care healthcare professionals and will be used to inform a future, large-scale trial testing efficacy.