The BRiC Program - Burnout and Resilience in Organ Donor Coordinators

Burnout and Resilience in Organ and Tissue Donor Coordinators: The BRiC Program

Organ and tissue donation coordinators face challenging and stressful scenarios on a daily basis, and this frequent exposure leaves them susceptible to developing of work-related issues like burnout and compassion fatigue. Research on turnover rates among these healthcare workers has shown that job tenure for coordinators is less than three years, a possible consequence of work-related issues. Consequently, turnover rates may have a significant impact on the ability of organ donation organizations to optimize donation in their programs.

Little was known about the true extent of work-related issues among organ donation coordinators worldwide, and very little was known about how it may impact coordinators in Canada. Therefore, the Burnout and Resilience in Organ Donor Coordinators (BRIC) program focuses on identifying burnout in organ donor coordinators and developing interventions to support coordinators in their workplace. In this three-phase research we systematically investigate ways to minimize the impact of compassion fatigue, burnout, and moral distress, and to identify ways to increase resilience among healthcare workers who support organ and tissue donors and their families at end-of-life and through organ donation. 

The overall BRiC program is led by Dr. Vanessa Silva e Silva at Brock University with the support of Canadian Blood services, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and in collaboration with Canada's organ and tissue donation community. Some steps of the program have had the leadership of Dr. Amina Silva e Silva.

About the BRiC Study

Core Research Team

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Collaborators and patient partners: varies according to the sub-projects of the BRiC program

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BRiC Phase I  – Scoping review

Overview: We conducted a scoping review of the international literature to develop a comprehensive description of burnout and compassion fatigue, including risk/protective factors, among organ and tissue donation coordinators worldwide.

Results:

• Burnout and compassion fatigue among organ donation coordinators: a scoping review protocol. Published at JBI.
• Burnout and compassion fatigue among organ donation coordinators: a scoping review. Published at BMJ.

BRiC Phase II – Mixed-methods study

Overview: We conducted a national mixed-method study using an online quantitative survey followed by qualitative interviews to explore burnout, compassion fatigue, moral distress, resilience and stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic among organ donation coordinators. The results from this study are being used to inform the development of phase III of the BRiC program.

Status:

• Study is complete and results of the study are under review for publication or already in progress:
  • Resilience among organ donation coordinators: a Canadian mixed-methods study (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1367546/full)
  • Understanding the work-related challenges of organ and tissue donation coordinators during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed method study. BMJ Open (under review).
  • Uncovering Work-Related Issues Among Canadian Organ Donation Coordinators: A National Mixed-Methods Study (in progress)
  • Experiences of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators within the health care team: A Qualitative Study (in progress)
  • Major Stressors and Satisfying Aspects for Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators: A Canadian Qualitative Study 
  • Experiences of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators within the health care team: A Qualitative Study (in progress)

BRiC Phase III - Interventional study

Overview: In this phase we are developing a toolkit with coping strategies as a resource for coordinators to use in their practice and support the work-related wellbeing of coordinators.

Status:

• Completed scoping review of the literature on available coping mechanisms used by critical care nurses. Led by Dr. Amina Silva
  • Research protocol: https://cjccn.ca/featured-article/coping-strategies-used-by-registered-nurses-in-acute-and-critical-care-settings-a-scoping-review-protocol/
  • Full manuscript submitted for publication (under review)
• Toolkit development (ongoing)

Additional projects related to BRiC

• Burnout, compassion fatigue and work-related stressors among organ donation and transplantation coordinators: A qualitative study. Published at ICCN.
• Burnout and compassion fatigue among organ donation coordinators: A Canadian perspective. Published at CJCCN.
• The Experiences and Perceptions of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators Participating in a Team Cohesion and Communication Workshop: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study. Published in CJCCN.

If you would like to know more and potentially collaborate with this study, please contact our research team at vsilvaesilva@brocku.ca.

Conference Presentations and Recognitions

List of Awards received for the BRiC program

National Conferences:

1. Silva e Silva V., Dhanani S., Lotherington K., Silva A. (2024) Studying Burnout and Resilience in Organ and Tissue Donor Coordinators and Developing Interventions. Canadian Critical Care Nursing Conference, Regina – SK – Invited Speaker
2. Silva e Silva V., Dhanani S., Lotherington K., James L., Silva A. (2023) Understanding Compassion Fatigue, Moral Distress, and Burnout Among Organ Donation Coordinators in Canada: A Mixed-Methods Study. Critical Care Canada Forum.
3. Silva e Silva V. (2023) Equitable Access to Transplantation Canada View. International Transplant Nurses Society Annual Meeting, United States of America - Invited Speaker
4. Silva e Silva V. (2022). Uncovering work-related problems among organ donation coordinators (ODC): The BRiC research program. Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses - Dynamics 2022, Canada - Invited Speaker
5. Silva V.S. Burnout among Donation Coordinators: Progresses with the BRiC Study and Preliminary Results. Dynamics of Critical Care 2020, Canada - Invited Speaker
6. Silva V.S.  Burnout among Donation Coordinators: Progresses with the BRiC Study and Preliminary Results. Canadian Society of Transplantation Virtual Forum 2020, Canada - Invited Speaker
7. Silva V.S., Hornby L., Lotherington K., Appleby A., Dhanani S.. Burnout and Resiliency Levels Among Organ Donation Coordinators: Research Protocol. 2019 Canadian Transplant Summit, October 16-19, Banff – Alberta
8. Silva V.S., Hornby L., Almost J., Lotherington K., Appleby A., Dhanani S. Burnout and Resilience Among Organ Donation Coordinators: Scoping Review Protocol. 2019 Canadian Transplant Summit, October 16-19, Banff – Alberta

International Conferences:

1. Silva, A., Silva e Silva, V., Lotherington, K. & Dhanani S. Coping Strategies Among ACC Nurses: A Scoping Review. The Transplantation Society Conference, Turkey
2. Silva e Silva V., Dhanani S., Lotherington K., Silva A. (2023) Compassion fatigue, moral distress, and burnout among organ donation coordinators in Canada: Results from a national mixed-methods study. The Transplantation Society Conference, Turkey
3. Silva, A., Silva e Silva, V., Lotherington, K. & Dhanani S. Coping Strategies Among ACC Nurses: A Scoping Review. CST 2024 (accepted but declined).
4. Silva e Silva, V., Hornby, L., Silva, A. & Dhanani, S. Studying Burnout and Compassion Fatigue among OTDCS. CST 2024. Award winner
5. Silva, A., Silva e Silva, V., Lotherington, K. & Dhanani S. Coping Strategies Among ACC Nurses: A Scoping Review. Canadian Critical Care Forum 2023
6. Silva e Silva, V., Silva, A., Lotherington, K. & Dhanani S. The BRiC study. Canadian Critical Care Forum 2023
7. Silva e Silva V., Silva A., Hornby L., Lotherington K., Dhanani S. (2023) Understanding Compassion Fatigue, Moral Distress, and Burnout Among Organ Donation Coordinators in Canada: A Mixed-Methods Study. International Society for Organ Donation and Preservation
8. Silva e Silva, V., Hornby, L., Silva, A. & Dhanani, S. Silva e Silva, V., Hornby, L., Silva, A. & Dhanani, S. Studying Burnout and Compassion Fatigue among OTDCS.  International Transplant Nurses Society 2023.  International Transplant Nurses Society 2023
9. Vanessa Silva e Silva and Amina Silva. (2023). The Bric Study - Burnout among Organ Donation Coordinators. 2023 Donation and Transplantation Conference ‘Back to the Future’ on the 2nd-3rd May 2023 in Melbourne, Australia- Invited Speaker
10. Silva e Silva V, Silva A. (2022). Uncovering Work-Related Concerns Among Organ Donation Coordinators: The BRiC Research Program. 29th International Congress of the Transplantation Society, Argentina
11. Silva e Silva, V., Hornby, L., Lotherington, K., Rochon, A., Silva, A., Pearson, H., MacNutt, L., Robertson, A., Werestiuk, K., Kuhl, D., John, P., Dhanani, S. & Sarti, A. (2022) The Experiences of Organ and Tissue Donation Coordinators Participating in a Team Cohesion and Communication Workshop: An Exploratory Descriptive Qualitative Study. International Congress of The Transplantation Society 2022.
12. Silva e Silva V. (2021). Oral presentation: A Workshop To Improve Team Cohesion And Communication Among Organ And Tissue Donation Coordinators: An Exploratory Qualitative Study. 2021 ITNS Annual Meeting, United States of America - Invited Speaker
13. Silva V.S. Burnout and Resiliency Panel. ITNS 2020 Annual Meeting Goes Virtual, United States – Invited Speaker

Funding: