ViaMente: Feasibility of a Nurse-Led Group Programme for Burnout and Well-Being in Mental Healthcare Professionals

This single-arm, before-after feasibility study evaluated ViaMente, a nurse-led psychotherapeutic group programme (five weekly sessions, grounded in nursing theory) aimed at reducing burnout and promoting psychological well-being in mental healthcare professionals.

Feasibility was the primary focus, assessed through recruitment, retention, and acceptability. Retention was defined as completing the programme with no more than two absences across the five sessions.

Preliminary changes in burnout (CBI-PT) and psychological well-being (PGWB-S) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Given the feasibility purpose, single-arm non-randomised design, and small sample, the study was not designed to test efficacy but to inform a future, adequately powered study.

• ViaMente (Behavioral): Nurse-led psychotherapeutic group programme comprising five weekly sessions grounded in nursing theory (Gottlieb, Peplau), targeting burnout recognition and management, time-organization strategies, stress reduction, and self-care practices, with the aim of reducing burnout and increasing psychological well-being.

Primary outcomes

• Feasibility - Acceptability (post-session acceptability questionnaire, 0-5 Likert) [Week 5]: Acceptability of the programme, rated on a 0-5 Likert scale, where 0 indicates the lowest acceptability and 5 the highest; higher scores indicate greater acceptability.
• Feasibility - Retention [Week 5]: Retention rate, defined as the proportion of enrolled participants who completed the programme without exceeding the permitted number of absences (maximum of two absences across the five sessions). Assessed after the fifth session.

Secondary outcomes

• Change in burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory - Portuguese version, CBI-PT) [Baseline and week 5]: Change in burnout, measured by the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory - Portuguese version (CBI-PT). Score range 0-100; higher scores indicate greater burnout. A mean score ≥50 is conventionally interpreted as indicative of high (clinically relevant) burnout.
• Change in psychological well-being (PGWB-S) [Baseline and week 5]: Change in psychological well-being, measured by the Psychological General Well-Being Index - short version (PGWB-S). Score range 0-30; higher scores indicate better psychological well-being. No established clinical cut-off.

Sex: All, ages: 18 Years to any, accepts healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults (≥18 years).
* Health professionals (nurses, health-care assistants, physicians, or others).
* Working in a mental health setting.
* Availability and commitment to attend the five weekly intervention sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age under 18 years.
* Not working in a mental health setting.
* Unable or unwilling to commit to the intervention sessions.
* Refusal to provide informed consent.

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