About this trial
This clinical trial evaluates the effect of life coaching together with Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) as an intervention to decrease self-reported symptoms of burnout, moral distress, resilience, and employee retention in oncology healthcare workers. Burnout and moral distress are occupational hazards for oncology healthcare workers. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment at work are symptoms of burnout. Moral distress may be defined as knowing the right thing to do but being unable to do so based upon internal or external constraints. The device is attached to the earlobes that uses cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) at a microcurrent to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, pain, and possibly depression. Life coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential and can increase resiliency skills such as boundary setting and prioritizing, increases in self-compassion and self-care, and potentially indirectly positively impact patient care. Undergoing the use of CES via the CES device, coupled with life coaching, may help alleviate burnout symptoms and moral distress in oncology healthcare workers.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Age 21 ≤ and ≤ 75 years old
Patient-facing healthcare workers (e.g., medical doctor, advanced practice provider, nurse)
Experiencing symptoms of burnout, as defined by a score of 1, 2, or 3 on question #2 of the Mini-Z II Survey
Working on the Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus (e.g. Roswell Park, Oishei Children's Hospital, Buffalo General, etc.)
Disqualifiers
Subjects who self-report as pregnant or nursing. Pregnancy be verified with a urine test for all persons of childbearing potential with a uterus
Subjects with a self-reported history of the following: Meniere's disease, history of vertigo or prone to dizziness, seizure disorder, pacemaker / implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator [AICD]), cochlear implant, or any implanted electrical devices that cannot be shut off
Inability to tolerate the required minimum stimulation amplitude (200 uA) during the initial device training at the baseline visit.
Any self-reported medical or psychiatric condition which in the PI or study physician's opinion deems the participant an unsuitable candidate to participate in this trial.
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES)
- Discussion
- Health and Wellness Coach
- Informational Intervention
- Sham Intervention
- Survey Administration