The Prevalence of Burnout Syndrome Among Emergency Department Nurses

Abstract

Introduction. Burnout syndrome is a manifestation of chronic stress characterized by emotional, mental and physical exhaustion, caused by occupational stressors and is represented by three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased personal performance. The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the medical system, with a psychological impact on the medical staff. This emotional and physical exhaustion is also found among nurses. Material and methods. We studied a total of 112 participants receiving 80 valid questionnaires. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of the medical staff within the UPU-SMURD section of the County Emergency Clinical Hospital “St. Ap. Andrei” Galați, who is in the front line in the fight against coronavirus. After signing an informed consent, the participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and the MBI-HSS (MP) questionnaire to assess their level of burnout. Results. The aim of our study was to identify the prevalence of burnout syndrome among emergency department nurses in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study found that 46.2% of nurses suffer from an average level of burnout, and only 32.5% suffer from a high level. Also, emotional exhaustion is directly proportional to professional experience and age. Conclusions. The prevalence of burnout syndrome is high, with most front-line nurses suffering from moderate to severe burnout.