Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Burnout Among Anesthesia Providers

Previous studies have shown that higher emotional intelligence (EI) leads to lower incidence of burnout in clinical healthcare workers. However, there are currently no published studies that explore this relationship in anesthesia providers. This study aimed to investigate 1) whether anesthesia providers with higher EI were less likely to meet burnout criteria, and 2) whether demographic factors played a role in likelihood of burnout. In this study, 21 certified registered nurse anesthesiologists, 23 physician anesthesiologists, and six anesthesiologist assistants completed the 16-item Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Score and the 16-item Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. T-test analysis was used for data interpretation to answer the emotional intelligence and burnout relationship proposed by the study. A statistically significant correlation was found between higher EI and lower incidence of burnout (P = .022). No statistically significant relationships were found between demographic variables and rates of burnout. Burnout is a tremendous issue among anesthesia providers, and further exploration into the influence of emotional intelligence on burnout may be instrumental to decreasing burnout incidence.