Prevalence of signs of professional burnout among medical workers involved in providing medical care for circulatory system diseases

BACKGROUND: Among 13 thousand doctors interviewed in 2021, 42% displayed signs of professional burnout. This phenomenon negatively affects the frequency of repeated hospitalizations, the number of adverse events, and increased employee turnover. However, studies concerning burnout in doctors are rare and do not focus on specialists who provide medical care for patients with circulatory system diseases (CSD).

AIM: was to assess the level of burnout in medical workers involved in the provision of medical care for patients with CSD and to explore staff perceptions of its prevention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sociological survey (based on the standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire) was conducted among medical personnel (women represented the majority of the sample — 76%, men — 24%). The sample is represented by doctors (n=89), nursing staff and auxillary nurses (NSAN) (n=128). The mean age for the whole group of respondents was 40.7±0.7, professional experience lasted 12.0±0.6 years. Standard methods of descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis. The age characteristics of the group had no significant differences by professional categories. Doctors had 39.0±1.2 years (min — 24, max — 63), NSAN had 41.0±0.6 years (min — 19, max — 67). Professional experience lasted differed doctors 39.0±1.2 years, in NSAN — 12.3±0.8. Men were characterized by a mean age of 36.7±1.6 years and professional experience lasted 10.0±1.2 years and women 42.0±0.7 years and 12.6±0.7 years, respectively. The character of distribution of quantitative data in the presented study was analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Shapiro–Wilk criterion.

RESULTS: 80.2% of respondents presented with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (RPA), 53.4% — a moderate average level of depersonalization. The emotional exhaustion was similar in all respondents, although average level of emotional exhaustion was the most prevalent (39.6%). 43.8% of doctors had an average level of emotional exhaustion, which is higher compared with NSAN — 37.5%. Clinical and paraclinical units are associated with a medium level of emotional exhaustion and a high RPA. At the same time, paraclinical units are characterized by a medium level of depersonalization, in contrast to clinical units, which are found to have a high level of this factor. According to the respondents, possible measures to prevent emotional burnout should include a set of measures including, rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among the staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (support system for medical decisions, etc.).

CONCLUSION: Working as medical staff and providing medical care for patients with CSD is strongly associated with a high level of reduced professional accomplishments (80.2% of respondents). Proper measures for the prevention of emotional burnout should primarily include organizational solutions focused on optimizing internal processes in medical staff’ work. According to the respondents, among the measures aimed at the prevention of emotional burnout, the most demanded may be: rational distribution of responsibilities within departments, workload among staff, as well as the formation of special skills to overcome stressful situations and optimization of activities with the help of digital solutions (medical decision support system, etc.).