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. 2021 Aug:65:103059.
doi: 10.1016/j.iccn.2021.103059. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Prevalence of burnout risk and factors associated with burnout risk among ICU nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak in French speaking Belgium

Arnaud Bruyneel  1 , Pierre Smith  2 , Jérôme Tack  3 , Magali Pirson  4
Affiliations

Prevalence of burnout risk and factors associated with burnout risk among ICU nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak in French speaking Belgium

Arnaud Bruyneel et al. Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: Burnout is a global work-related phenomenon. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are at risk of burnout and the COVID-19 pandemic may increase this risk. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of burnout risk and identify risk factors among ICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research methodology: Web-based survey performed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in French speaking Belgium.

Main outcome measures: Risk of burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory scale.

Results: A total of 1135 ICU nurses responded to the questionnaire. The overall prevalence of burnout risk was 68%. A total of 29% of ICU nurses were at risk of depersonalisation (DP), 31% of reduced personal accomplishment (PA), and 38% of emotional exhaustion (EE). A 1:3 nurse-to-patient ratio increased the risk of EE (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.07-2.95) and DP (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09-2.40). Those who reported having a higher perceived workload during the COVID-19 pandemic were at higher risk for all dimensions of burnout. Shortage of personal protective equipment increased the risk of EE (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.35-3.34) and nurses who reported having symptoms of COVID-19 without being tested were at higher risk of EE (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.68-1.87).

Conclusions: Two-thirds of ICU nurses were at risk of burnout and this risk was associated with their working conditions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend monitoring the risk of burnout and implementing interventions to prevent and manage it, taking into account the factors identified in this study.

Keywords: Burnout; Coronavirus; Intensive care unit; Nurses; Workload.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Prevalence of burnout risk and high-risk dimensions of MBI for ICU nurses MBI, Maslach burnout inventory.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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