THE EFFECTS OF HOSPICE TRAINING ON VOLUNTEER AND STAFF
Stress can be conceptually defined as an internal response to an external stimulus or situation (stressor) (Aguilera & Messick, 1990). Burnout, on the other hand, is an occupation-related word, originally coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, to describe a reaction to excessive job-related stress (Bunch, 1983). Some professions are more prone to both stress and burnout than others (Vecchio, 1991); and one of the most stressful of these is working at a hospice (Brenner, 1997).
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the effects of training on stress and burnout among hospice staff and volunteers. The paper begins with a brief examination of the general nature of stress and burnout, and then goes on to review studies of these phenomena in volunteers and professional staff working in hospices.
This review is followed by a an exploration of the literature on stress reduction training programs for hospice workers (staff and volunteers), which, in turn, is followed by data collected by this investigator during an interview with the Director of Volunteers at a large local hospice facility. The paper concludes with the formulation of several conclusions, based on the reviewed studies, about the effects of hospice training on volunteer and staff stress and burnout.
General Nature of Stress and Burnout
Physical Determinants and Correlates
Correlates. Stress results when a stressor shifts the body from a state of homeostasis to a state of hypothalamic stimulation, autonomic nervous system stimulation and stimulation of the anterior pituitary gland. This stimulation causes increases in such physical factors as metabolism (oxygen consumption), blood pressure, heart rate, rate of breathing, amount of blood pumped by the heart and amount of blood pumped to the skeletal muscles (Selye, 1982).
Stress can be experienced and then handled, or...