Job stress and burnout syndrome among critical care healthcare workers

Abstract

Background: Among healthcare professions, critical care healthcare workers (HCWs) have one of the most stressful jobs. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between job stress and burnout syndrome (BOS) among nurses and healthcare technicians at the surgical emergency department and intensive care unit of Critical Care department at the Alexandria University Hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional approach was conducted from October 2014 to March 2015. Eighty-two nurses and healthcare technicians participated in the research (response rate = 80.39%). Data was collected by an interview questionnaire using selected subscales of NIOSH Generic job stress Questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory of Health and human service Questionnaire. The relationship between BOS and job stress was examined using bivariate and multivariate analyses.

Results: Although majority of participants reported variation of workload (84.15%), quantitative overload (76.8%), responsibility for peoples’ life (69.5%) and lack of perceived control (63.41%), yet, 85.4% were satisfied with their job. Moreover, high levels of emotional exhaustion was reported by the majority of participants (80%), while less than one third reported either high levels of depersonalization or low levels of personal accomplishment domains of BOS. In multiple regression analysis, skill underutilization, variation in workload, and intragroup conflicts were negatively associated with BOS domains. While, job satisfaction and responsibility for peoples’ life were positively associated with personal accomplishment domain of BOS.

Conclusion: Critical care HCWs had high BOS. The study concluded that reducing intragroup conflict, improving skills utilization, and raising job satisfaction are crucial to reduce BOS among critical care HCWs. More attention and psychological support is recommended to critical care HCWs.

Keywords: Burnout syndrome, Critical care, Healthcare workers, Job stress, Nurses