Burnout syndrome and engagement among critical care providers: a cross-sectional study

To evaluate the frequency of severe burnout syndrome among critical care providers and to correlate it with work engagement.

A self-administered survey including the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales, and Gallup questionnaire was distributed. All analyses were stratified by setting (intensive care unit or step-down unit) and by professional group (nurses versus physicians versus physiotherapists).

Between February 2017 and June 2017, 206 out of 325 invited professionals (63.4%) answered the questionnaires. Of these, 55 were physicians (26.7%), 88 were physiotherapists (42.7%) and 63 were nurses (30.6%). The frequency of severe burnout was 34.3% (27.9 - 41.4%), and no difference was found between professional groups or settings. The frequency of severe or very severe cases of depression, anxiety or stress was 12.9%, 11.4% and 10.5%, respectively. The median (interquartile range) score observed on the Gallup questionnaire was 41 (34 - 48), and no differences were found between professional groups or settings. There was a negative correlation between burnout and work engagement (r = -0.148; p = 0.035).

There is a high frequency of severe burnout among critical care providers working in the intensive care unit and step-down unit. There was a negative correlation between burnout and work engagement.