Prevalence of burnout and satisfaction with the profession, among doctors and nurses working in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE To assess the level of burnout and professional satisfaction among the doctor and nurses working in an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY A self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the emergency department of Shifa international hospital, Islamabad. The questionnaire was based on a Maslach burnout inventory tool and pre-validated study. Data was collected from all the doctors and nurses who were working in this particular department for at least 3 months in any capacity. The tool consisted of 12 questions and covered 4 domains which included emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment and personal satisfaction. RESULT There were 80 participants with 40% doctors and 60% nurses and the male to female ratio was 50-50%. The results found 78.8% of the study population showing low or no burnout and 21.3% having moderate to high burn out. 17% of the study population was emotionally exhausted and depersonalization was prevalent among 18% of study population. CONCLUSION Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization is a significant concern for the people working in the emergency department. A sense of personal accomplishment and satisfaction with the profession can be a prominent feature that prevents burnout.