BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Apr 17;25(1):566. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12644-6.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals often face substantial work-related burdens. A large body of evidence has shown that poor working conditions can lead to low levels of job satisfaction, increased emotional stress and burnout. While symptom targeted interventions take effect after symptoms become manifest, preventive interventions are required to reduce the risk of work-related diseases. Therefore, the UPGRADE-trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Creative Strengthening Groups as a potential intervention to enhance job satisfaction and work-related health. The German Innovation Fund (Innovationsfonds) funded the project.
METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial and randomly assigned healthcare professionals to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention – Creative Strengthening Groups – consisted of two one-day classes. We evaluated the primary outcome job satisfaction and further work-related outcomes using standardized questionnaires. We collected data at baseline as well as after three and six months. The study was conducted between October 2019 to March 2023, including the pandemic period.
RESULTS: We enrolled 196 participants (intervention n = 88, control n = 108) with a mean age of 46.2 ± 12.1 years (84.5% female). 43.7% were nursing professionals. Job satisfaction in the intervention group increased from 55.47 ± 10.23 to 57.07 ± 11.65 after three months and decreased in the control group from 56.29 ± 19.69 to 53.47 ± 20.09. The difference between groups did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, change in patient-related stress significantly differed between groups (intervention: -3.9 ± 12.16 vs. control: 5.17 ± 17.43; p =.027) as well as personal burnout (intervention: -5.25 ± 13.1 vs. control: 4.35 ± 16.24; p =.011). Within the intervention group, we observed a greater improvement concerning work-related burnout in nursing staff in geriatric care than in hospitals (-15.27 ± 13.5 vs. +3.28 ± 13.7; p =.003).
CONCLUSION: Though the Covid-19 pandemic worsened working conditions for healthcare professionals, our results indicate that intervention has the potential to enhance job satisfaction and work related health. Notably, due to the overall workload and the pandemic restrictions, a high number of participants did not continually participate in both classes of the intervention and some did not return all questionnaires. As long as healthcare professionals in Germany are facing exceedingly bad working conditions, it is very difficult to support their resources such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, and optimism by health promotion interventions.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS; ID: DRKS00020908). Date of Registration: 2020-03-16.
PMID:40247351 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-025-12644-6
