The Interface Between Parental and Occupational Burnout in Critical Care Unit Staff: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional...

Occupational burnout among Critical Care Unit (CCU) staff is a pressing issue, yet the relationship between parental burnout and this high-demand professional domain remains underexplored. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the association between parental and occupational burnout in critical care healthcare professionals. A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted across three CCUs in hospitals within the Vigo Health Area (northern Spain). The sample included 106 CCU staff members with dependent children. Data were collected using the Burnout Screening Inventory, Parental Burnout Assessment, and Oslo Social Support Scale. Although the overall prevalence of occupational burnout was low in this sample, total parental burnout emerged as a statistically significant positive predictor of occupational burnout (β = 0.303, p = 0.003). Among its dimensions, parental emotional distancing acted as the most salient predictor (β = 0.409, p = 0.006). Parental burnout is significantly associated with higher levels of occupational burnout among CCU professionals, with parental emotional distancing being the most relevant dimension in this relationship, with perceived social support as an inverted association. These findings highlight the co-occurrence of both phenomena and the need to acknowledge the intersection of family demands and high-intensity work environments when addressing occupational wellbeing in critical care settings.