Burnout Across Healthcare, Educational, and Professional Populations: A Comprehensive Scoping Review

Burnout, defined by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, is increasingly recognized as a significant threat to staff wellbeing, organizational performance, and patient safety in healthcare and related sectors. Although research on burnout has grown rapidly, the evidence base remains fragmented, limiting understanding of cross-population patterns, measurement approaches, and the effectiveness of interventions.

This scoping review systematically maps and synthesizes the existing literature on burnout among healthcare workers, students, teachers, night shift workers, and other professional populations, with particular emphasis on its implications for staff well-being and quality of care.

Following Arksey and O'Malley's framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane from inception to December 2024. Eligible studies used validated instruments to assess burnout. Data synthesis employed narrative thematic analysis and systematic literature mapping.

Sixty-five studies were included (healthcare workers n=29; students n=18; teachers n=9; night shift workers n=6; other populations n=3). Six key themes emerged: prevalence variations (25-72%), with healthcare workers demonstrating the highest rates (35-68%) and strongest associations with compromised patient safety; diversity of measurement tools; intervention effectiveness patterns, wherein combined individual-organizational approaches demonstrated superiority over single-component strategies (effect size d=0.67, 95% CI: 0.42-0.91 at 12-month follow-up); organizational versus individual risk factors; temporal trends including COVID-19 impacts; and implementation challenges. Methodological heterogeneity limited cross-population comparability and the standardization of interventions.

Burnout represents a critical occupational health and patient safety concern. This scoping review highlights significant gaps in cross-population research, the need for standardized measurement approaches, and the importance of multilevel, evidence-based interventions. The findings provide essential insights for researchers, healthcare administrators, and policymakers aiming to design sustainable strategies to protect staff wellbeing and ensure safe, high-quality care.