EXPERIENCES OF DRUG CONSUMPTION ROOM PROFESSIONALS

Background 

Working in the field of addictive behaviours and dependencies is challenging as evidenced by literature. There's a knowledge gap regarding the experiences of professionals in Drug Consumption Rooms (DCR’s). International studies show high fatigue and burnout rates among workers in community harm reduction programs, highlighting a real incidence knowledge gap. 

Methods 

A qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study was conducted with DCR professionals (12 out of a total of 26). The goals were to understand their main experiences and identify how they cope with working in DCR. Sociodemographic characterization and interviews were conducted (between December 2023 and January 2024), followed by content analysis based on a socio-constructivist paradigm. 

Results 

Various work experiences and client interactions were reported, but unanimous aspects were related to emotional impact and personal enrichment. Emotional challenges and 'confrontations' with clients were common, with fewer mentions of team communication issues. Common coping strategies included colleague support, effective communication and supervision. Regarding personal life impact, the emotional job burden, frequent recollections of impactful client stories and appreciation of learnings applicable outside of work. 

Sociodemographic characterization and interview perceptions led to grouping interviews by 'working hours - full or part-time'. Part-time professionals focused more on personal experiences and the emotional impact of working with people with addictive behaviours. In contrast, full-time professionals discussed broader social issues, team dynamics, communication, health policies, coping strategies, and challenge solutions. The analysis reveals the complexity of working experiences in challenging social contexts, where individual and collective factors interweave, and personal and professional experiences meet "dilemmas arising from their experiences such as ethical, safety, and other issues, resulting from contact with hard-to-reach populations". 

Conclusion 

Each response reflects how professionals construct reality from workplace interactions and how these experiences shape their perceptions, beliefs and behaviours. Experiences seem deeply influenced by the social context and human interactions, aligning with the socio-constructivist paradigm, suggesting greater concern for the organization's organic functioning and future continuity concerns.