HELLO Trial: Small gestures can have a big impact!

From October 10 to November 14, the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (ICU) participated in the HELLO Trial study, conducted by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) across 370 ICUs from 60 countries.

Coordinated at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) by Noël Dowell, Dr. Sandra Dial, and Andrea Maria Laizner, the study evaluated the impact of simple gestures on team well-being. These measures included a whiteboard and a box for exchanging messages of recognition and support, as well as posters encouraging greetings.

“We are a small unit. Everyone knows each other. It's rare that there aren't warm personal greetings at the beginning of each shift”, emphasizes Noël Dowell, while noting that fostering a positive working environment is always a priority, both within the unit and across the entire MUHC.

Participation in the study was voluntary and confidential, and it was open to all staff working in the unit: nurses, physicians, psychologists, physiotherapists, orderlies, maintenance staff, speech therapists, and social workers. Data collected before and after the intervention focused on factors such as work fatigue, satisfaction with care, intent to remain in the position, and perceptions of the ethical climate.  

This study could provide valuable insights into preventing burnout and developing strategies to cultivate a positive work atmosphere. “[Our participation] was about building a supportive environment and improving the workplace in general,” concluded Dr. Sandra Dial.