BACKGROUND
Emergency department (ED) staff are at-risk of burnout, poor wellbeing and increased stress that can impact patient satisfaction, staff morale and retention. The aim of this survey was to determine level of burnout, stress and satisfaction with current employment role in ED during COVID-19.
METHODS
A multisite cross-sectional survey captured ED employment data, wellbeing, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), stress (Health Professions Stress Inventory), work environment (WES-10) and Caring for COVID-19 Patients questions.
RESULTS
The response rate of 44.2% (n = 177) represented all healthcare disciplines. Only 58.8% (n = 104) of participants were happy in their role, satisfaction was low, burnout was high (
M
71.0, SD 17.1) as was level of stress (
M
90.6, SD 16.5). Nurses and allied health staff were more stressed than their medical or support staff colleagues. Participants perceived discriminatory behaviours from friends and family in caring for suspected or infected COVID-19 patients.
CONCLUSION
ED staff are a vulnerable group. Programs to promote wellbeing, personal resilience, and self-care together with personal and professional growth are needed to build individual capability and a culture of organizational resilience, particularly in the context of the COVID pandemic.