Narrative medicine, intensive care and burn out

Introduction Narrative Medicine puts the individual at the centre of the therapeutic relationship. It is a powerful tool to improve the collaboration between the patient and those who care for them. In addition narrative medicine, which is based on specific communication skills, allows healthcare professionals to reflect on the meaning of their profession. Intensive care unit is a department with strong relational pressures. This pression influences the actions of the professionals involved. The source of stress affects the way it is managed. One of the fields of application of narrative medicine is the assessment of perceived stress by health professionals. The purpose of our study was to investigate the well-being of healthcare staff in intensive care through a narrative approach. Materials and methods The study was based on the voluntary participation of healthcare staff in two multi-purpose intensive therapies. Each subect had to write a fairy tale on a semi-structured basis anonymously. The structure of fairy tale was created with a particular focus on themes that could highlight burn out phenomena. The stories were read by two separate contacts who then confronted each other by analyzing clusters. In the end, the results were presented to all those who participated. Results We collected thirty-eight stories. All the stories followed the date track. They were full of details, colors and characters. At the beginning of the stories they talked about separation but gradually they arrive at a respectful coexistence. The words and the recurring feelings were analyzed generating a cloud. The common trace was the positive propensity for the future. When we presented our results emerged a good match between the descriptions reported and the emotions that had been described.All participants were available to carry out further projects of narrative medicine. Conclusions Intensive care doctors and nurses work in difficult, often conflicting environments. Despite their continued exposure to emotional conflicts, they may have difficulty expressing their feelings. This is an additional risk to develope burnout.Narrative medicine becomes a new model for reflecting on their profession and learning to talk about their inner world. Narrative medicine becomes a therapeutic act and often correlates with other forms of expression that help to recompose the painful fragments of a disease on oneself and on the relationship with the outside world.