Critical care staff most at risk of burnout, study finds

According to a report by the Critical Care Societies Collaborative, health professionals working in critical care settings have one of the highest rates of burnout syndrome.

The report suggested that 25-33 per cent of critical care nurses displayed symptoms of severe burnout syndrome, with 86 per cent exhibiting either exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment.

Health staff suffering from burnout can mean a reduced quality of care, lower patient satisfaction, increased medical errors, higher rates of health care associated infections and an increased 30-day patient mortality rate.

The report recommended that the high burnout syndrome rate amongst critical care professionals could be attributed to an especially stressful work environment, challenging daily work routines, and regular encounters with traumatic and ethical issues.

It warned that burnout could put health professionals at risk to disorders such as post-truamtic stress, alcoholism and depression.

The report has called on researchers, educators, employers and policy-makers to develop ways of mitigating burnout in critical care staff.

Report co-author Dr Marc Moss, from the University of Colorado, said: “We can’t take care of patients if we don’t take care of each other. An increased commitment to research on burnout syndrome is a necessary first step.

“Everyone has a part to play in decreasing burnout. A full collaborative effort is required among researchers, educators, professional societies, patient advocacy groups, funding agencies, policy makers and ourselves as critical care health care professionals.”