Burnout in hospital healthcare workers after the second COVID-19 wave: Job tenure as a potential protective factor

Abstract

Burnout is an impactful occupational health phenomenon to which doctors and nurses have been more exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of this study were to measure the dimensions of burnout—emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment—in a hospital healthcare population after the second COVID-19 wave and to study their association with sociodemographic variables and previous COVID-19 infection. We invited 112 healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses) who attended the occupational health department of a tertiary hospital in March–July 2021. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment were measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Linear-regression analyses were conducted to explore relationships between burnout dimensions and sociodemographic variables. Differences between groups according to previous COVID-19 infection were verified using the t-test and when appropriate the Mann–Whitney test (for continuous variables), the chi-square test and when appropriate the Fisher exact test (for categorical variables). We surveyed 106 subjects (95% response rate). High emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were reported by 33.0 and 18.4% of participants, respectively; 21.4% reported low personal accomplishment. Job tenure was associated with depersonalization and personal accomplishment. For each 1-year increase in job tenure, depersonalization decreases 0.14 (95% CI [−0.23, −0.04]) and personal accomplishment increases 0.16 (95% CI [0.06, 0.25]). Gender was associated with emotional exhaustion (being male increases emotional exhaustion 5.62-fold [95% CI: 1.33; 9.92]). The prevalence of high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalization and low personal accomplishment after the second COVID-19 wave was relevant and should not be overlooked. Our findings suggest that job tenure may play a protective role in healthcare workers’ burnout.

Gauging the stress of long‐term care nursing assistants using ecological momentary assessment, wearable sensors and end of day reconstruction

“…However, results from this study are consistent with literature suggesting that work stress is difficult to capture and may be underreported within LTC (Crosswell & Lockwood, 2020;Gaivin, 2022;Ray, 2022). In addition to the small sample size, other possible explanations for the lower levels of stress reported by our sample include protective factors such as a long tenure working as a nursing assistant (Antao et al, 2022) and not working in nursing homes (i.e. higher acuity).…”

Ambivalent identification mediates the relationship between organizational justice and stress

“…Control var iables. Based on previous literature, several sociodemographic variables, namely, age, sex, work experience, organizational tenure, and working hours, were included in the questionnaire as control variables that may potentially influence stress outcomes and employee well-being (see, e.g., Purvanova and Muros, 2010 ; Boyas et al, 2013 ; Antao et al, 2022 ; Lee et al, 2022 ; Schroeder et al, 2022 ). We used one-item measures for all control variables.…”

Avaliação de Burnout em Profissionais de Saúde da Unidade de Faro do Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve

“…14,15 Em Portugal, observa -se um número crescente de investigação clinica relativa ao burnout nos profissionais de saúde. 14,[16][17][18] Um estudo a nível nacional, prévio à pandemia COVID -19, relatou níveis elevados de burnout em 47,8% da amostra de 1262 enfermeiros e 466 médicos. 14 Mais recentemente, um estudo de 2020, com base na CBI e com uma amostra alargada (2008 profissionais de saúde), reportou níveis elevados de burnout pessoal e relacionado ao trabalho em mais de metade dos profissionais (52,5% e 53,1%, respetivamente).…”

“…17 Utilizando o MBI, um outro estudo, de 2022, em médicos e enfermeiros, identificou níveis elevados de EE e DP em 33% e 18,4% e níveis baixos de realização pessoal em 21,4% da amostra. 16 Até à data, identificamos apenas um estudo, de 2017, que avaliou os níveis de burnout em 225 profissionais de saúde da unidade de Faro do Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve (UF -CHUA), numa amostra composta maioritariamente por enfermeiros (60,9%). 19 Utilizando o MBI, identificaram níveis elevados de EE e DP em 44,9% e 29,3% e baixos de realização pessoal em 33,3% da amostra.…”

“…Nesse estudo, foi utilizada a MBI e não a MBI -HSS. Identificou uma elevada EE em 44,9% dos profissionais,16 nomeadamente com 33%, 18,4% e 21,4% de elevada EE, DP e RRP, respetivamente. Um outro estudo, de 2018, em profissionais de saúde de hospital universitário no Porto, 25 comparando com os nossos resultados (como apresentado nas Figs.…”