Over many years, I have held several demanding positions: as head nurse in a radiotherapy-oncology department, as chair of the Flemish Association of Nurses working in Radiotherapy and Oncology, and as representative of the RTT Alliance within ESTRO.

Alongside this, I cared for my ill, elderly mother and stayed active outside work, for example, in a choir. This continuous build-up of responsibilities led to unrelenting strain.

Despite early warning signs—persistent muscle pain and memory lapses—I ignored my body’s signals. Doctors advised rest, but I pressed on. In early 2024, I hit a breaking point and suffered severe burnout.

The fallout was profound—unbearable physical pain, failing concentration and memory, complete loss of self-confidence. I no longer trusted myself or others. Daily tasks, such as chairing meetings or making decisions, became overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. While guidance helped me to embark on a new professional path, recovery remains challenging and uneven.

Key Lessons Learned

• Acknowledge warning signs early—physical and mental symptoms are critical signals, not inconveniences.
• Set boundaries—trying to carry all responsibilities has consequences.
• Make self-care a priority—sustainable performance depends on rest and recovery.
• Embrace vulnerability—recognition of limitations is a step toward healing, not weakness.

Recommendations & Research-Based Insights

Extent of the Issue

• Burnout prevalence: approximately 50% of nurses experience burnout during their careers, with emotional exhaustion reported by over 60%.
• In India, one in four doctors faces burnout. Contributing factors include long working hours, patient pressures, and systemic challenges.
• In the UK, 71% of general practitioners suffer from compassion fatigue, which affects the quality of the care they offer and their own mental well-being.
• In Flanders, nearly half of healthcare and welfare staff feel that their workload is unsustainable.

Risks and Impact

• Burnout has been correlated with decreased patient safety across 32 countries—higher rates of infection, medication errors, patient falls, and lower caregiver satisfaction in relation to their patients.
• Effective Interventions

1. Multi-level strategies: Address burnout through a combination of personal interventions (e.g., physiotherapy, osteopathy, fasciatherapy, psychotherapy) tailored to individual health needs, together with organisational support (e.g., team or HR assistance with job adjustments, application processes, and facilitating communication within and outside the department).
2. Manage workload: limited duty hours, assurance of adequate staffing, and offers of flexible schedules reduce rates of burnout.
3. Mindfulness & self-care: practice of pursuits such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga, breathing exercises, music therapy, and membership of Balint groups helps to reduce levels of stress and emotional exhaustion.
4. Therapeutic modalities: clinical supervision and holistic well-being activities (physical and mental) are more effective than purely educational or managerial interventions.
5. Peer and mentorship support: mentoring relationships and discussions with peer groups reduce burnout, as they offer psychosocial and career support.
6. Digital support tools: apps and digital interventions can assist, but must be complemented by organisational changes.
7. Improve psychosocial safety climate: an enhanced sense of psychological safety in the workplace reduces burnout and absenteeism and boosts engagement.
8. Physical activity: daily movement—25 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity plus 30-60 minutes of light activity—lowers burnout risk by 62%.
9. Community and creative interventions: programmes such as CORAL (Colorado Resiliency Arts Lab) (which offers arts and group support) reduce levels of burnout, depression, and anxiety by promoting connection and emotional expression.

 

Ludwig Van den Berghe
Department of Radiation Oncology
Cancer Centre University Hospital
Ghent, Belgium

 

References:

• Worldmetrics.org
• Strategies and Interventions to Improve Healthcare Professionals’ Well-Being and Reduce Burnout, Mohammad S. Razai, Journal of Primary Care & Community Health 14: 1–3 (2023)
• Preventing burnout and substance use disorder among healthcare professionals through breathing exercises, emotion identification, and writing activities, Rachel J. Kulchar, Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice 29 (2022)
• Effective interventions to reduce burnout in nurses: a meta-analysis, Mike Musker, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 54 (2024)
• Well-being at work in Flanders: new figures and interpretation from research, Stijn Baert, https://www.ugent.be/ugentatwork/nl/acties/sugaw6.pdf (2022)
• Interventions to reduce stress and prevent burnout in healthcare professionals supported by digital applications: a scoping review, Daniela Adam, Frontiers in Public Health (2023)