Burnout, staff support, and coping in Pediatric Oncology.

GOALS OF WORK: The goals of the study were the following: (1) to study the rate of burnout of the staff in Pediatric Oncology and compare it with that of a group of staff in other pediatric specialties, (2) to find out if job satisfaction, role clarity, staff support, and ways of coping are related to the burnout of these two groups, and (3) as a secondary aim, to identify other parameters, i.e., profession, experience, having children, etc., which might affect burnout, staff support, and ways of coping. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group (n = 58) consisted of the staff of two Pediatric Oncology units and a Bone Marrow Transplantation unit, and the control group (n = 55) consisted of the staff of two Pediatric departments and one Pediatric Orthopedics department. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Staff Support Questionnaire, the Shortened Ways of Coping Questionnaire-Revised, and the Social Readjustment Scale were used. MAIN RESULTS: No differences were found in burnout between Pediatric Oncology staff and that of other specialties, the existing staff support, and the ways of coping. Decreased role clarity and wishful thinking, as a way of coping, were positively correlated to emotional exhaustion, whereas a negative correlation of the lack of role clarity existed with personal accomplishment. Not having children and less experience increased burnout in both groups studied. CONCLUSIONS: The hospital management and the heads of departments should be knowledgeable of ways to prevent burnout in their staff. Strategies targeting role clarity and wishful thinking are useful toward this goal.

Vincristine overdose: experience with 3 patients.

Vincristine overdose (7.5 mg/m2) was accidentally administered to 3 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Treatment included double-volume exchange transfusion, phenobarbital administered prophylactically, and folinic acid rescue 18 mg every 3 hours for 16 doses. Vincristine levels were also assayed and showed a dramatic decline in postexchange levels in the 2 patients who survived and an almost unchanged value in the patient who succumbed. Early signs of toxicity in the 2 survivors were peripheral neuropathy (day 4), bone marrow toxicity (day 5), gastrointestinal toxicity (days 6 and 7), and hypertension (days 7 and 8). Marrow aplasia lasted for 4 and 10 days, peripheral neuropathy for 15 and 42 days, gastrointestinal toxicity for 3 and 5 days, and hypertension for 5 and 14 days. The 2 children were discharged on days 13 and 16 and cytostatic therapy was restarted on days 18 and 25. Both are alive without evidence of leukemia. The third patient developed liver and marrow toxicity on day 3 and died on day 9. Postmortem examination showed leukemia infiltration of the liver and spleen.