Burnout and stress amongst interns in Irish hospitals: contributing factors and potential solutions

Abstract

Background: The transition from medical school to internship can be daunting for newly qualified doctors. High rates of stress and burnout have been reported, with negative impacts on patient care and physician wellbeing.

Aims: We surveyed interns in our hospital group to evaluate rates of stress and burnout, as well as identify the causative factors and propose potential solutions to these.

Methods: A hundred and one interns working in four different hospitals over a 2-year period were invited to participate in an anonymous survey. The survey collected basic demographic details and surveyed aspects of mental health using the burnout scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the stress scale and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Interns were also asked to rate a variety of workplace factors on a Likert scale based on the degree of stress caused. Finally, they were surveyed on their awareness of support services available to them.

Results: Our results showed that 37% of interns met the criteria for psychological distress, high levels of emotional exhaustion, high depersonalisation and a low sense of personal accomplishment were reported in 55.4, 51.5 and 41.6%, respectively. Inadequate preparation for practice, financial worries, poor role definition and sleep deprivation were reported as significant stressors. Most were unaware of available support services and expressed interest in leaving Ireland after internship.

Conclusions: Burnout and stress are significant problems amongst doctors in Irish hospitals. Ensuring better preparation for clinical practice and awareness of support services is vital to tackle this issue.

Keywords: Burnout; Internship; Junior doctors; NCHD; Non-consultant hospital doctors; Stress.