Preventing front-line collapse in institutional settings.

Front-line staff in institutions for the mentally ill and mentally retarded are in the best position to help the patients develop to their full potential. However, they are usually poorly paid, and their work seldom receives the respect it deserves. They work under conditions of extreme stress, and burnout often results. The author describes what happens when burnout affects the entire staff on a ward, leading to what he terms front-line collapse. He examines the contributing factors and lists some possible preventive approaches.