Building evidence-based interventions to improve staff wellbeing in Paediatric Critical Care using the Behaviour Change Wheel

Rachel L. Shaw*, Isabelle Butcher, Sarah Webb, Heather P. Duncan

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background
Research has demonstrated that staff working in Paediatric Critical Care (PCC) experience high levels of burnout, post-traumatic stress and moral distress. There is very little evidence of how this problem could be addressed.

Aim
To develop evidence-based, psychologically informed interventions designed to improve PCC staff well-being that can be feasibility tested on a large scale.

Study Design
The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework guided systematic development of the interventions. This process was informed by a review of existing well-being initiatives and a survey of PCC staff's awareness and uptake of initiatives identified.

Results
Together with empirical evidence, the BCW process produced two bespoke ‘SWell’ (Staff Wellbeing) interventions tailored for delivery in UK PCC units. The two group-based interventions, Mad-Sad-Glad and Wellbeing Images involve the Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) of self-belief, social support, feedback and monitoring. These BCTs align closely with the psychological concepts of self-efficacy, self-regulation and the psychological theory of how to thrive.

Conclusions
Tailored, evidence-based, psychologically informed SWell (Staff Wellbeing) interventions are likely to be feasible and have the potential of making significant differences to individual staff members and the PCC workforce as a whole. Associated investments in the psychological health of the workforce and time to prioritize well-being interventions are required for change to occur and be maintained.

Relevance to Clinical Practice
The SWell (Staff Wellbeing) interventions could impact directly on the well-being of PCC staff and their ability to thrive in the workplace. Indirectly, they could reduce staff attrition, sickness absence and improve patients' and families' experiences of care.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages14
JournalNursing in Critical Care
Early online date8 Jan 2025
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 8 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Nursing in Critical Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Association of Critical Care Nurses. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited.

Data Access Statement

Research data are not shared.

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