Burnout, ProfessionalNCT05977894
Floatation Experience in Nurses and Physicians
An observational study of Burnout, Professional and Negative Affect, run by Mercy Health Ohio at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this observational study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The main question it aims to answer is: will inventory wellbeing scores increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued? Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist)… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Burnout, Professional, Negative Affect, Positive Affect
- What is being tested?
- Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 28 Oct 2023to 31 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 to 70 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health
Who may be able to join
- Nurses and physicians
Who cannot join
- Any person that is not a physician or nurse at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital
Youngstown, Ohio, 44501
About this study
Official title: Wellbeing Monitoring During Sequential Reduced Environmental Stimulation-Floatation
The goal of this observational study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The main question it aims to answer is: will inventory wellbeing scores increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued? Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the floatation experience. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session.
Read the detailed description
The floatation program is a Mercy Health enterprise sponsored by the Mercy Health Mahoning Valley Foundation.The goal of this study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The investigators hypothesize that inventory wellbeing scores will increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued. Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the optional floatation program in Warren, Ohio at no financial cost to them. They will become aware of floatation options through the Mercy Health Be Well wellness program. Floatation monitoring will include assessments of wellbeing, nonstress, and positive affect scores. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session. This will be a self-reporting anonymous process. The investigator will never know the identity of the participant.
- Conditions
- Burnout, Professional, Negative Affect, Positive Affect, Wellbeing, Burnout, Psychological
- Being tested
- Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy
- Keywords
- Floatation, Anxiety, Attention, Awareness, Burnout, Relaxation Therapy, Self-concept, Wellbeing
- Medical subject headings
- Burnout, Professional, Burnout, Psychological, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Reduced Environmental Stimulation TherapyOther
Also called Floatation-REST
During floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), the participant enters a tank that is approximately 5 feet wide, 7 feet long and 5 feet high. The tank is filled with a 10 inch height of water containing enough Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to create body buoyancy. The water temperature is 93.5 degrees F, an approximate equivalent for normal skin temperature. Ear plugs are used to mitigate sound and the tank is without light illumination to prevent visual stimulation. The sessions are typically 60 minutes in duration. The individual is "Floating-in Solitude, Darkness, Silence, and Thermal-Neutrality." This experience reduces external sensory nervous system input and creates an extraordinarily deep state of mental and physical relaxation.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Nurses and physicians | Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health Receives: Other: Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in the inventory wellbeing score
The sum of the positive affect and nonstress scores (range 11-55)
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Secondary outcomes (2)
Change in the nonstress score
The sum of the reverse-scored ratings for the 7 negative affect items (range 7-35)
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Change in the positive affect score
The sum of the ratings for the 4 positive affect items (range 4-20)
Measured: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Aug 2023
- Study start28 Oct 2023
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (27)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Burnout, ProfessionalStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mercy Health Ohio
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, C. Michael Dunham, Mercy Health Ohio
- Investigators
- C. Michael Dunham, MD, Principal investigator, Mercy Health Ohio
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05977894
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 6120-810-1-01
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Jul 2023
- Last updated
- 9 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The wellbeing scores will be assessed according to the number of floatation sessions undertaken and described in a manuscript to be submitted to a peer-reviewed PubMed journal.
Publications
Dyrbye LN, Satele D, Sloan J, Shanafelt TD. Utility of a brief screening tool to identify physicians in distress. J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Mar;28(3):421-7. doi: 10.1007/s11606-012-2252-9. Epub 2012 Nov 6.
PubMed 23129161Dyrbye LN, West CP, Satele D, Boone S, Tan L, Sloan J, Shanafelt TD. Burnout among U.S. medical students, residents, and early career physicians relative to the general U.S. population. Acad Med. 2014 Mar;89(3):443-51. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000134.
PubMed 24448053Brazeau CM, Shanafelt T, Durning SJ, Massie FS, Eacker A, Moutier C, Satele DV, Sloan JA, Dyrbye LN. Distress among matriculating medical students relative to the general population. Acad Med. 2014 Nov;89(11):1520-5. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000482.
PubMed 25250752Poghosyan L, Clarke SP, Finlayson M, Aiken LH. Nurse burnout and quality of care: cross-national investigation in six countries. Res Nurs Health. 2010 Aug;33(4):288-98. doi: 10.1002/nur.20383.
PubMed 20645421Vahey DC, Aiken LH, Sloane DM, Clarke SP, Vargas D. Nurse burnout and patient satisfaction. Med Care. 2004 Feb;42(2 Suppl):II57-66. doi: 10.1097/01.mlr.0000109126.50398.5a.
PubMed 14734943Chang EM, Bidewell JW, Huntington AD, Daly J, Johnson A, Wilson H, Lambert VA, Lambert CE. A survey of role stress, coping and health in Australian and New Zealand hospital nurses. Int J Nurs Stud. 2007 Nov;44(8):1354-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.06.003. Epub 2006 Aug 9.
PubMed 16901488Lindqvist R, Smeds Alenius L, Griffiths P, Runesdotter S, Tishelman C. Structural characteristics of hospitals and nurse-reported care quality, work environment, burnout and leaving intentions. J Nurs Manag. 2015 Mar;23(2):263-74. doi: 10.1111/jonm.12123. Epub 2013 Sep 19.
PubMed 24047463Poncet MC, Toullic P, Papazian L, Kentish-Barnes N, Timsit JF, Pochard F, Chevret S, Schlemmer B, Azoulay E. Burnout syndrome in critical care nursing staff. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007 Apr 1;175(7):698-704. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200606-806OC. Epub 2006 Nov 16.
PubMed 17110646Embriaco N, Papazian L, Kentish-Barnes N, Pochard F, Azoulay E. Burnout syndrome among critical care healthcare workers. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2007 Oct;13(5):482-8. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0b013e3282efd28a.
PubMed 17762223Chuang CH, Tseng PC, Lin CY, Lin KH, Chen YY. Burnout in the intensive care unit professionals: A systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Dec;95(50):e5629. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005629.
PubMed 27977605Mealer ML, Shelton A, Berg B, Rothbaum B, Moss M. Increased prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in critical care nurses. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007 Apr 1;175(7):693-7. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200606-735OC. Epub 2006 Dec 21.
PubMed 17185650Abdo SA, El-Sallamy RM, El-Sherbiny AA, Kabbash IA. Burnout among physicians and nursing staff working in the emergency hospital of Tanta University, Egypt. East Mediterr Health J. 2016 Mar 15;21(12):906-15. doi: 10.26719/2015.21.12.906.
PubMed 26996364Alqahtani AM, Awadalla NJ, Alsaleem SA, Alsamghan AS, Alsaleem MA. Burnout Syndrome among Emergency Physicians and Nurses in Abha and Khamis Mushait Cities, Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia. ScientificWorldJournal. 2019 Feb 18;2019:4515972. doi: 10.1155/2019/4515972. eCollection 2019.
PubMed 30906233Hamdan M, Hamra AA. Burnout among workers in emergency Departments in Palestinian hospitals: prevalence and associated factors. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017 Jun 15;17(1):407. doi: 10.1186/s12913-017-2356-3.
PubMed 28619081Hinderer KA, VonRueden KT, Friedmann E, McQuillan KA, Gilmore R, Kramer B, Murray M. Burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress in trauma nurses. J Trauma Nurs. 2014 Jul-Aug;21(4):160-9. doi: 10.1097/JTN.0000000000000055.
PubMed 25023839
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Wellbeing Monitoring During Sequential Reduced Environmental Stimulation-Floatation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05977894
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 6120-810-1-01
- Conditions
- Burnout, Professional, Negative Affect, Positive Affect, Wellbeing, Burnout, Psychological
- Keywords
- Floatation, Anxiety, Attention, Awareness, Burnout, Relaxation Therapy, Self-concept, Wellbeing
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Mercy Health OhioUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 28 Oct 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this observational study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The main question it aims to answer is: will inventory wellbeing scores increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued? Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the floatation experience. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session.
Detailed description
The floatation program is a Mercy Health enterprise sponsored by the Mercy Health Mahoning Valley Foundation.The goal of this study is to monitor the floatation experience and continue the program as long as deemed important. The investigators hypothesize that inventory wellbeing scores will increase according to the number of floatation sessions accrued. Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health, will be welcomed to participate in the optional floatation program in Warren, Ohio at no financial cost to them. They will become aware of floatation options through the Mercy Health Be Well wellness program. Floatation monitoring will include assessments of wellbeing, nonstress, and positive affect scores. Participants will be given an option to complete the Wellbeing Inventory survey prior to each floatation session. This will be a self-reporting anonymous process. The investigator will never know the identity of the participant.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Nurses and physicians | – | Other: Reduced Environmental Stimulation TherapyNurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Nurses (registered, practitioner, and anesthetist) and physicians, employed at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Trauma Center, Mercy Health
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Nurses and physicians
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Any person that is not a physician or nurse at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced Environmental Stimulation TherapyAlso: Floatation-RESTDuring floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy), the participant enters a tank that is approximately 5 feet wide, 7 feet long and 5 feet high. The tank is filled with a 10 inch height of water containing enough Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to create body buoyancy. The water temperature is 93.5 degrees F, an approximate equivalent for normal skin temperature. Ear plugs are used to mitigate sound and the tank is without light illumination to prevent visual stimulation. The sessions are typically 60 minutes in duration. The individual is "Floating-in Solitude, Darkness, Silence, and Thermal-Neutrality." This experience reduces external sensory nervous system input and creates an extraordinarily deep state of mental and physical relaxation. | Other | Nurses and physicians |
Primary outcome
Change in the inventory wellbeing score
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
The sum of the positive affect and nonstress scores (range 11-55)
2 secondary outcomes
Change in the nonstress score
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Change in the positive affect score
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Oct 2026.
- Background: PubMed 23129161Dyrbye LN, Satele D, Sloan J, Shanafelt TD. Utility of a brief screening tool to identify physicians in distress. J Gen Intern Med. 2013 Mar;28(3):421-7. doi: 10.1007/s11606-012-2252-9. Epub 2012 Nov 6.
- Background: PubMed 24448053Dyrbye LN, West CP, Satele D, Boone S, Tan L, Sloan J, Shanafelt TD. Burnout among U.S. medical students, residents, and early career physicians relative to the general U.S. population. Acad Med. 2014 Mar;89(3):443-51. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000134.
- Background: PubMed 25250752Brazeau CM, Shanafelt T, Durning SJ, Massie FS, Eacker A, Moutier C, Satele DV, Sloan JA, Dyrbye LN. Distress among matriculating medical students relative to the general population. Acad Med. 2014 Nov;89(11):1520-5. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000482.
- Background: PubMed 20645421Poghosyan L, Clarke SP, Finlayson M, Aiken LH. Nurse burnout and quality of care: cross-national investigation in six countries. Res Nurs Health. 2010 Aug;33(4):288-98. doi: 10.1002/nur.20383.
- Background: PubMed 14734943Vahey DC, Aiken LH, Sloane DM, Clarke SP, Vargas D. Nurse burnout and patient satisfaction. Med Care. 2004 Feb;42(2 Suppl):II57-66. doi: 10.1097/01.mlr.0000109126.50398.5a.
- Background: PubMed 16901488Chang EM, Bidewell JW, Huntington AD, Daly J, Johnson A, Wilson H, Lambert VA, Lambert CE. A survey of role stress, coping and health in Australian and New Zealand hospital nurses. Int J Nurs Stud. 2007 Nov;44(8):1354-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2006.06.003. Epub 2006 Aug 9.
- Background: PubMed 24047463Lindqvist R, Smeds Alenius L, Griffiths P, Runesdotter S, Tishelman C. Structural characteristics of hospitals and nurse-reported care quality, work environment, burnout and leaving intentions. J Nurs Manag. 2015 Mar;23(2):263-74. doi: 10.1111/jonm.12123. Epub 2013 Sep 19.
- Background: PubMed 17110646Poncet MC, Toullic P, Papazian L, Kentish-Barnes N, Timsit JF, Pochard F, Chevret S, Schlemmer B, Azoulay E. Burnout syndrome in critical care nursing staff. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007 Apr 1;175(7):698-704. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200606-806OC. Epub 2006 Nov 16.
- Background: PubMed 17762223Embriaco N, Papazian L, Kentish-Barnes N, Pochard F, Azoulay E. Burnout syndrome among critical care healthcare workers. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2007 Oct;13(5):482-8. doi: 10.1097/MCC.0b013e3282efd28a.
- Background: PubMed 27977605Chuang CH, Tseng PC, Lin CY, Lin KH, Chen YY. Burnout in the intensive care unit professionals: A systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Dec;95(50):e5629. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005629.
- Background: PubMed 17185650Mealer ML, Shelton A, Berg B, Rothbaum B, Moss M. Increased prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in critical care nurses. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007 Apr 1;175(7):693-7. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200606-735OC. Epub 2006 Dec 21.
- Background: PubMed 26996364Abdo SA, El-Sallamy RM, El-Sherbiny AA, Kabbash IA. Burnout among physicians and nursing staff working in the emergency hospital of Tanta University, Egypt. East Mediterr Health J. 2016 Mar 15;21(12):906-15. doi: 10.26719/2015.21.12.906.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The wellbeing scores will be assessed according to the number of floatation sessions undertaken and described in a manuscript to be submitted to a peer-reviewed PubMed journal.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
C. Michael Dunham, MD principal investigator
Mercy Health Ohio
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Burnout, Professional and Negative Affect, run by Mercy Health Ohio at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in the inventory wellbeing score (time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05977894, which also lists 27 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Oct 2026.