Describing Remembrance & Renewal: A Holistic Self-Care Program

Abstract

Background: Holistic care interventions include support for healthcare worker grief in a relationship-based care paradigm. Few programs support oncology healthcare worker grief and renewal prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: Describe “knowledge of” and “engagement with” a program about grief and resilience, Remembrance & Renewal (R&R). Method: An anonymous, electronic survey was available to healthcare workers at an academic, comprehensive cancer center. Demographic questions were analyzed against “knowledge of” and “engagement with.” Results: Of 105 responding to “awareness of,” 81 knew about R&R and 48 had “engaged with” the program. Statistically significant relationships between a characteristic and awareness were found for education ( p  =  .03), setting (p < .01), and the frequency of learning about a death ( p  =  .04). Statistically significant relationships between a characteristic and level of participation were found for profession ( p  =  .02) and length of time in job ( p  =  .03). Open-ended questions asked about impact of patient death ( n  =  93), barriers to participation ( n  =  54), and feelings after “engagement with” ( n  =  45). Responses to impact, barriers, and feelings were respectively: sadness (75.3%); time (77.8%); and calm (75.6%). Conclusion: This study describes “knowledge of” and “engagement with” a holistic grief and renewal program. Further study will add to healthcare worker holistic self-care.