A multidisciplinary, cross-sectional survey of burnout and wellbeing in emergency department staff during COVID-19

Abstract

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.

Burnout Syndrome among Staff at an Emergency Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…We also aimed to compare medical categories in terms of burnout dimensions. Based on previous literature presented above [ 2 , 10 ], we expected to find a higher rate of burnout among nurses compared with physicians, medical residents, and orderlies.…”

“…In recent years, burnout syndrome has been a widely discussed issue among medical staff. At almost two years after the onset of the biggest pandemic of the modern world and one year after the first anti-COVID vaccine became available, the literature points to increasing burnout among healthcare workers all over the word [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the statistics showed that more than 400 doctors took their own lives every year but now, due to depression and exhaustion, there has been a sharp increase in these statistics [ 4 ].…”

“…A recent literature review documented the highest rates of burnout among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic period [ 3 ]. Moreover, in an empirical study that compared different medical professional categories (i.e., nursing, medical, allied health, and support staff represented by clerks, security, cleaners, and porters), nurses presented a higher level of emotional exhaustion [ 2 ]. Another study also showed that emotional exhaustion was the most frequently reported burnout dimension among nurses during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic [ 5 ].…”

“…Emergency medical care has its unique peculiarities and this uniqueness often leads to vicarious trauma manifestation and secondary traumatic stress [ 12 , 13 ]. It implies a high workload and exposure to a variety of stressors in an unpredictable way [ 2 ]. A survey conducted over four years and published in 1996 found that 60% of the respondents were in the moderate to high burnout ranges, more than 10% higher than internal medicine specialists and nearly 20% higher than the average rate of the respondents.…”

“…As in other specialties, burnout sets in early with studies highlighting that between 65–74% of residents (all levels) manifest symptoms of burnout [ 8 ]. In the context of the current pandemic, studies have also revealed high levels of burnout among emergency staff [ 2 , 14 , 15 ].…”