Burnout among Polish midwives: mediating role of satisfaction and dispositional optimism

Continuous stress, emotional tension, the pace of work, and constant contact with sick people exposes nurses and midwives to professional burnout. Until now, the level of burnout among nurses has been assessed, but research among midwives with an analysis of sociodemographic determinants, including attitudes toward work and life, is still limited. The aim of the study was to assess factors influencing the level of professional burnout among midwives, taking into account job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and dispositional optimism. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted on a group of 98 midwives. Standardized research tools were used to assess professional burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI), dispositional optimism (Life Orientation Test, LOT-R), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS), and job satisfaction (Job Satisfaction Scale, JSS). Depersonalization was significantly higher in individuals with 21 years or more of work experience than in midwives with 0-5 years of seniority (p = 0.023). Lack of job satisfaction was significantly higher among individuals with low life satisfaction than among those with medium and high levels of life satisfaction (p < 0.001), among pessimists compared with neutral individuals (p < 0.001), among those working in a shift system (p = 0.045), and among individuals with less than 21 h of free time per week (p = 0.013). Independent predictors of lower emotional exhaustion burnout were employment in two workplaces (17.98 points). Independent predictors of lower reduced personal accomplishment were job satisfaction (1.638 points) and life satisfaction (24.385 points). An optimistic outlook on life reduced the overall level of professional burnout (13.449 points). The study found that the overall level of professional burnout among midwives was moderate. Professional burnout was associated with individual, interpersonal, and organizational factors. Higher levels of burnout were observed among midwives with a pessimistic outlook.