Burnout syndrome: assessment of a stressful job among intensive care staff

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Mirjana Čubrilo-Turek
• Author: Roman Urek
• Author: Stjepan Turek
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the degree of burnout experienced by intensive care staff particularly, in Medical (MICU) and Surgical Intensive Care Units (SICU) General Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb. A sample group of 41 emergency physicians and nurses from MICU and 30 from SICU was tested. The survey included demographic data and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) scoring test identified by the three main components associated with burnout: emotional exhaustion (MBI-EE), depersonalization (MBI-DEP), and personal accomplishment (MBI-PA) were assessed using 22-item questionnaire. The degrees of burnout were stratified into low, moderate, and high range. Mean total MBI (X +/- SD) were high in both groups: higher for the MICU (65.5 +/- 6.7) than for SICU staff (55.7 +/- 3.8, p < 0.05). MICU staff showed moderate degree of MBI-EE (24.9 +/- 11.2), MBI-DEP (6.0 +/- 5.6), and as well as MBI-PA (34.4 +/- 8.8). The same parameters showed better results among SICU staff: low degree of MBI-EE (17.1 +/- 5.2), as well as low level of MBI-DEP (5.2 +/- 5.0), and moderate degree of MBI-PA (33.7 +/- 9.8). The differences between the groups was statistically significant only for the total MBI, and for MBI-EE (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between MICU and SICU staff for MBI-DEP or MBI-PA parameters. Overall job burnout represented in a moderate degree. The presence of burnout is a serious phenomenon, because it can lead to psychosomatic complaints, work-associated withdrawal behaviour, and a lower quality of care at intensive care units. Early recognition of burnout phenomenon as a result of prolonged stress and frustration among intensive care staff, contributes to better professional behavior, organizational structure changes in the work environment and better health care quality for critically ill patients.

Abstract (croatian)

Burnout, ili sindrom izgaranja, (Maslach Burnout Inventory – MBI) sastoji se od 3 subskale koje služe kao pokazatelji kojima se procjenjuje stupanj emocionalne iscrpljenosti (MBI-EE), depersonalizacije (MBI-DEP) i osobnog postignuća (MBI-PA) u različitim djelatnostima koja su podložna stresnim situacijama. Maslach i Jackson osmislili su test kojim se može procijeniti stanje iscrpljenosti i različitih frustracija kod djelatnika koji rade odgovoran posao, a gdje često izostaje očekivana nagrada. Posljedica burnouta očituje se nemotiviranošću, neučinkovitošću i niskom razinom moralnih kriterija u izvršavanju radnih zadataka. Kronični unutrašnji pritisak, kojemu su osobito izloženi djelatnici koji rade u jedinicama intenzivnog liječenja, ali i drugim stresnim profesijama tijekom obavljanja radnih zadataka pogoduje nastanku burnout-a. U našem ispitivanju provedeno je testiranje kod 41 djelatnika internističke (JIL-I) i 30 djelatnika kirurške jedinice intenzivnog liječenja (JIL-K). Između JIL-I i JIL-K postoji statistički značajna razlika s obzirom na ukupni MBI i emocionalnu iscrpljenost (p<0,05). Djelatnici u JIL-I pokazuju veću emocionalnu iscrpljenost i veći ukupan zbroj MBI u odnosu djelatnike u JIL-K. Iako je burnout u JIL-I prema mjerenju umjerenog dosega, ipak predstavlja jasan pokazatelj prisutnosti burnouta. Stoga je važno rano prepoznati parametre burnout-a kod djelatnika koji rade odgovoran posao u jedinicama intenzivnog liječenja radi što boljeg usklađivanja vlastitih osjećaja i zadovoljenja kriterija profesionalnosti.

• Keywords (english): Burnout, Professional; Intensive Care Units; Medical Staff, Hospital; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Adult; Croatia; Female; Humans; Male; Questionnaires
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Collegium Antropologicum
• Numbering: vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 131-135
• p-ISSN: 0350-6134
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:356168
• Publication: 2006-03
• Document URL: https://hrcak.srce.hr/8902
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-28 11:00:11