The immediate impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on burn-out, work-engagement, and surgical training in the Netherlands

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic led to major changes in health care and education options for all health care employees. The aim of this study is to achieve insight into coronavirus diseasecare participation of surgical residents in the Netherlands, the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the experienced quality of surgical training, and the influence on Burn-out and Work Engagement compared with the non-coronavirus disease 2019 period in January 2020. Methods: In this study, we have conducted 2 digital surveys immediately before and 2 months after the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We surveyed a validated Dutch questionnaire 'Utrecht Burn-out Scale,' derived from the Maslach Burn-out Inventory, and also collected the 'Utrecht Work Engagement Scale' measuring work engagement. Additionally, we describe the coronavirus disease-care participation of surgical residents, the impact on how they experienced the quality of their surgical training, and the influence on 'Burn-out and Work Engagement' compared with the pre-coronavirus disease 2019 period for surgical residents in the Netherlands. Results: In January 2020, a total of 317 residents completed the online survey, and in April 2020, a total of 313 residents completed the online survey. Of the responders, 48.6%, in April, participated in coronavirus disease-care in both the coronavirus disease ward as well as the coronavirus disease intensive care unit. Residents experienced that the coronavirus disease 2019 influenced their surgical training in 85.2% of responders. In only 5% of the residents did the pandemic not affect the exposure to surgical training in the operating theater. More burn-out symptoms were noted amongst coronavirus disease ward deployed residents versus no coronavirus disease ward deployment, (16.0% vs 7.6%, P ¼ .06). The Work-Engagement questionnaire showed a significantly lower work engagement score of 4.2 for residents who were deployed in a coronavirus disease-care intensive care unit versus a score of 4.6 for residents scheduled in a coronavirus disease ward (P ¼ .02). Conclusion:This study shows a significant impact of the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the Dutch surgical trainee program, with a major redistribution of residents with a decrease of surgical exposure and education. We emphasize the need for adequate guidance of all surgical residents and potentially lengthening the surgical training program.

Burnout Assessment Among Surgeons and Surgical Trainees During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

“…Among the 29 included studies conducted between April 2020 and December 2021, most were published in 2020 (n=16, 55.2%), 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 whereas the remaining papers (n=13, 44.8%) were published in 2021. 4 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 The majority of studies utilized cross-sectional, quantitative methods (n=27), 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 with only a small minority being qualitative (n=2). 4 , 34 The sample size varied widely across studies, ranging from 24 to 2,040 for quantitative studies and from 16 to 870 for qualitative studies.…”

“… 4 , 34 The sample size varied widely across studies, ranging from 24 to 2,040 for quantitative studies and from 16 to 870 for qualitative studies. Most of the studies were about the healthcare system in the United States (n=17), 19 , 21 , 22 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 42 , 43 while the remaining reports were from Singapore (n=3), 20 , 24 , 25 Egypt (n=2), 18 ,40 the United Kingdom (n=1),4 France (n=1), 44 Brazil (n=1), 24 Pakistan (n=1), 23 the Netherlands (n=1), 45 Romania (n=1) 31 and the Czech Republic (n=1). 41 Almost all studies included surgical trainees (residents, fellows) as part of the studied population (28 studies, 96.6%).…”

Employee Engagement Outlooks in the Era of COVID-19: Implications for Human Resource Management

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has radically transformed many aspects of society and work-life (Reinwald, Zimmermann, & Kunze, 2021). For instance, in a study of surgical residents in The Netherlands, residents deployed in a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit had a lower work engagement of 4.2 compared to a 4.6 level work engagement for residents working in a COVID ward (Poelmann, Koeter, Steinkamp, Vriens, Verhoeven, & Kruijff, 2021). The daily rising rate of COVID-19 infections has been established as a crucial antecedent to the development of employee engagement.…”

A systematic review of de-escalation strategies for redeployed staff and repurposed facilities in COVID-19 intensive care units (ICUs) during the pandemic

“…5 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 Elective surgery and other speciality training opportunities were cancelled to allow the redeployment of healthcare professionals, especially trainee doctors. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 …”