Psychological and work‐related factors associated with emotional exhaustion among healthcare professionals during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Italian hospitals

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has induced considerable psychological distress in healthcare workers, increasing the risk of burnout. This research aimed to investigate sociodemographic, work‐related, COVID‐19‐related, and psychological factors associated with emotional exhaustion (the core component of burnout) among healthcare professionals during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Italy. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to assess risk (e.g. perceived risk and fear of contagion, stress) and protective factors (e.g. job satisfaction, resilience) for emotional exhaustion among 616 hospital staff. Women, nurses, shift workers, those with a permanent contract, and frontline workers reported significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion compared to others. Significant risk factors predicting emotional exhaustion were prolonged use of personal protective equipment, increased work pressure, lack of support, and prolonged working hours; psychologically protective factors were resilience and job satisfaction, while perceived stress was found to be a significant psychological risk factor. Organizational interventions should focus on these factors to prevent the onset of burnout.

Additional burdens of family caregivers during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis of social media in Germany

“…Nursing and medical staff in the inpatient sector are also experiencing an increase in challenges such as stress and psychological strain as a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic (Bohlken et al, 2020 ; Fiabane et al, 2021 ). This was also reported by users of social media posts; accordingly, caregivers who work in the health sector are affected by additional stress, both professionally and privately.…”

Workplace Factors, Burnout Signs, and Clinical Mental Health Symptoms among Mental Health Workers in Lombardy and Quebec during the First Wave of COVID-19

“…Several authors noted the role of work-related factors associated with the pandemic situation. First, the pandemic setting required services to modify procedures and redeploying personnel in a relatively short time; thus, adjustment to changes in tasks and increased workloads were common issues [ 9 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], especially in services that face chronic understaffing, and the application of COVID-19 sanitation and infection control procedures (such as PPE wearing and PPE disposal) were reported as pandemic-related difficulties [ 18 , 20 , 21 ]. Second, fear of COVID-19 infection significantly impacted occupational mental health [ 22 , 23 , 24 ] and could be associated with several work-related determinants; being a frontline worker and having direct contact with patients with COVID-19 increased distress and emotional exhaustion [ 5 , 11 , 16 , 18 , 25 ], and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) was a common concern, especially in the first stages of the pandemic [ 20 , 26 ].…”

“…Organizational support and climate also played a role in mediating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceived lack of organizational support [ 11 , 17 , 26 ], dissatisfaction with the quality of communication [ 11 ], and conflicts or lack of social contact with colleagues were also associated with increased emotional exhaustion and depression symptoms [ 11 ].…”

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a SARS-CoV-2 testing programme on obstetric patients and healthcare workers

“… 20 Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and stress have also increased among Canadian nurses since the start of the pandemic. 21 , 22 Increased workload is a strong contributor to emotional exhaustion, 23 burnout, 24 and occupational stress 25 of HCWs during the pandemic, and job dissatisfaction is linked to burnout, anxiety, and depression. 23 , 24 …”

“… 21 , 22 Increased workload is a strong contributor to emotional exhaustion, 23 burnout, 24 and occupational stress 25 of HCWs during the pandemic, and job dissatisfaction is linked to burnout, anxiety, and depression. 23 , 24 …”