ABSTRACT
Balint group (BG) is an experiential discussion group which deals with the various aspects of the therapist-patient relationship. BG was found to be effective for stress and burnout prevention among medical professionals. Burnout is expressed by emotional fatigue, de-personalization and sense of failure. Recent articles found connections between burnout and personal and systemic factors such as: workload, work conflicts, and work-life conflicts. Burnout can lead to medical mistakes, loss of empathy for the patient, coronary disease, and leaving work. Until now, BGs were held in community settings. We first describe organizing and leading BG for physicians and nurses in the Nephrology-Dialysis department. We present the process of group setting and leading as a procedure that also takes into consideration the organizational limits of the hospital setting. Conclusions and future suggestions will be presented.
Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional , Occupational Exposure , Professional-Patient Relations , Sensitivity Training Groups/organization & administration , Burnout, Professional/etiology , Burnout, Professional/prevention & control , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Hospitals, General/methods , Humans , Israel , Nurses/psychology , Occupational Exposure/adverse effects , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Physicians/psychologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to highlight and assess the important topic of the voluntary departure of the physician from his/her clinic. We used the topic of the voluntary departure of a family physician from the clinic as an example. The physician's leaving challenges the personal credo regarding the continuity of care, which is a basic concept in Family Medicine, and other professions, too: Psychiatrists are also devoted to long-term doctor-patient care. Leaving a place of work is a significant life event that can be accompanied by stress and even a crisis for the doctor, patients, and staff. METHODS: In this article, we will present four stories, of four family physicians who voluntarily left their practices, written from a reflective point of view, either before or after the actual departure. The stories will be analyzed in a qualitative way, and the central themes and narratives will be defined. RESULTS: The personal departure stories revealed important personal and systemic themes that emerge from and influence the departure process. Among the themes were: practical and emotional work circumstances; leaving as a grief process; and reactions of patients, staff, and management. CONCLUSION: Qualitative analysis revealed that the voluntary departure of the family physician has complex personal and systemic implications. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The combination of Balint group discussions and written reflections can help the physician better cope with the departure and also help patients and staff deal with the separation process.
Subject(s)
Family Practice , Physician-Patient Relations , Physicians/psychology , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Personal Narratives as TopicABSTRACT
Professionals working in mental health often exhibit high levels of strain leading to poor psychological wellbeing, emotional exhaustion and depletion of personal resources. Even under tight global economic conditions preventing burnout should be given high priority among mental health providers. This paper looks at the wide spectrum of stressors found in specialists working in the mental health area and examines, with the salutogenic approach in the background, ways to relieve professional burnout among general hospital mental health providers. Guidelines for managers and staff to alleviate their professional strain are suggested so as to improve the quality of life in the workplace.
Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional/prevention & control , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Health Personnel/psychology , Mental Health Services , Psychotherapy/methods , Adult , Female , Hospitals, General , Humans , Male , Stress, Psychological/prevention & control , Stress, Psychological/psychology , WorkforceABSTRACT
The cornerstone of family medicine is the belief in both the continuity and availability of care. These beliefs are challenged when a doctor leaves his or her clinic because of personal reasons. In the example described in this article, the involvement of colleagues in a Balint group led a doctor to a flash insight into her conflicting feelings related to leaving her clinic. The group process helped her to prepare and deal with her own feelings and needs, as well as those of her patients and staff. Balint groups are a secure place to explore and gain insight into the emotional aspects of attachment and separation of physicians from their patients.
Subject(s)
Anxiety, Separation/psychology , Group Processes , Physician-Patient Relations , Physicians, Family/psychology , Continuity of Patient Care , Emotions , Female , Humans , Male , Object AttachmentABSTRACT
This paper describes how Balint groups can be effective for primary care doctors and how leaders of these groups can act as role models in the interdisciplinary, experiential learning experience. The paper describes the way Balint activity helps the facilitation of a dialogue between mental health professionals and primary care physicians. While these groups have been found to improve the sensitivity of doctors in their interaction with patients, Balint groups, with the joint leadership of professionals from different disciplines, can be seen as an effective method to improve primary care and mental health cooperation. These issues are discussed and appropriate examples outlined offering an uncommon perspective on an interesting topic to promote an integrated, shared model of care.
