Empathy to exhaustion: A mixed-methods qualitative study exploring burnout in orthotic and prosthetic clinicians

Burnout is a phenomenon that has been extensively documented across health care professions, but empirical investigation within orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) remains limited. This leaves a critical gap in understanding clinician well-being in a field defined by distinct clinical, technical, and organizational demands.

This study aimed to quantify burnout levels in O&P clinicians and explore the factors contributing to this phenomenon.

This study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach: a survey incorporating the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) to gather burnout incidence, and semi-structured interviews to assess burnout experiences, personal and professional factors, and possible prevention strategies among orthotics and prosthetics clinicians.

Participants first completed a survey incorporating the aMBI to assess burnout incidence as it correlates to the 3 domains of burnout-emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). Survey participants could then elect to participate in semi-structured interviews for qualitative insight and thematic analysis. Data were analyzed for correlations between survey responses and personal factors gathered from the interviews.

Approximately 78.3% of respondents experienced burnout in at least 1 domain, with emotional exhaustion being the most prevalent. Men experienced higher rates of depersonalization than women. From the semi-structured interviews, four overarching themes emerged: organizational and workload pressures, financial and career strain, individual coping and protective strategies, and burnout experience and trajectory.

Burnout was highly prevalent among O&P clinicians, with emotional exhaustion representing the most prominent domain. Qualitative findings highlighted the contribution of organizational or workload pressures, financial and career strain, coping strategies, and the progressive nature of burnout. These results underscore burnout as a multidimensional phenomenon influenced by both individual and systemic factors, and further research into interventions addressing this issue is critical for clinician well-being and the sustainability of the profession.