ID #472 Burnout Among Advanced Practice Providers in a Pediatric Oncology Setting
Casey Miller, Natasha Pillay Smiley, Jill Melchers, Megan Omaley, Stephanie FeistAbstract
Background
Burnout defines as consequences of severe stress and high ideals in professions deemed as “helping.” It causes job dissatisfaction, high turnover rate, poor quality of life, and negative patient outcomes. There is limited data on Advanced Practice Provider (APP) burnout in pediatric acute settings. The lack of recognition and intervention can be detrimental not only to APPs’ health but to patients as well. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the rate of burnout and implement a Wellness committee to target interventions.
Methods
The subjects were APPs working in a pediatric oncology setting. A pre/posttest intervention design comparing physical and emotional symptoms of burnout at baseline and after the intervention was utilized in 2023. A validated assessment tool was used to measure burnout in medical professionals. Interventions were a burnout interactive didactic, increased leadership presence, and increased praise. Post-intervention surveys were administered which led to repeating a pretest intervention design in 2025 comparing physical and emotional symptoms of burnout to further explore interventions. A Wellness committee was then designed to target Work-Life Harmony, Connection and Community, and Mattering at Work.
Results
22 APPs participated, five were Neuro-Oncology APPs. Participants completed the pre- and post-intervention surveys in 2023 and the pre-intervention in 2025. In 2023 and 2025, three participants met criteria for burnout. The turnover rate in 2023 was 7.5% in oncology and 25% for Neuro-Oncology. Post intervention results showed physical and emotional symptoms of burnout were easily recognized and increased leadership presence and praise created a positive response, but it was not sustained.
Conclusions
Findings suggest that a burnout program with leadership presence is a key component in having APPs recognize burnout symptoms and early intervention. Repeating the survey in 2025 showed the initial interventions were not sustainable so more was needed and a Wellness committee was created.