Positive communication for decreasing burnout in intensive‐care‐unit staff: a cluster‐randomized trial

Can a Single Word Change the Culture of an ICU?

Burnout is an epidemic in our Intensive Care Units, affecting staff well-being, patient care, and even hospital costs. But what if the solution to this widespread problem was simpler than we think?

This week, we’re diving into the Hello Trial, a massive 1:1 cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted across 370 ICUs in 60 countries. Researchers tested a simple, four-week, unit-based intervention designed to promote positive workplace culture and within-team support using tools like posters, email nudges, positive message boxes, and role modeling.

The results are practice-changing:

• The intervention significantly reduced burnout prevalence from 63.3% in the control group to 52.2% in the intervention group (P < 0.001).

• It improved perceptions of job satisfaction, workplace safety, ethical climate, and patient- and family-centered care.

• Staff in the intervention arm were less likely to consider changing jobs.

• They also had lower emotional exhaustion, lower depersonalization, and higher personal accomplishment scores.

Here’s the bedside “so what”:
A pragmatic, system-level focus on positive communication and team cohesion can rapidly and meaningfully shift your unit’s culture—directly improving staff well-being.

Forget the individual-focused, time-draining wellness programs. The answer might be in a simple, collective shift in how we interact. Tune in as we break down the specific components of the Hello intervention and how you can bring this powerful, low-cost strategy to your ICU.