The relationship between burnout and work engagement levels of nurses and physiotherapists working during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all health professionals worldwide. This has also influenced their working lives, affecting burnout and work engagement.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between burnout and work engagement among nurses and physiotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with total 509 nurses and physiotherapists who were working at any of the private, public, or university hospitals from two large and one small cities. A Personal Introduction Form, the Maslach Burnout Scale, and the Work Engagement Scale were used in the study. Frequency, percentage, mean, and Pearson correlation analysis were used for statistical analysis. Necessary ethical approvals were taken for the research.

Results: There was a significant, moderate, negative relationship between the average scores of the nurses on the vigor and devotion dimensions and the Work Engagement Scale and their average scores on emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment, depersonalization dimensions and their average score on the Maslach Burnout Scale (p < 0.05). There was a significant, moderate, negative relationship between the scores of the physiotherapists on the Work Engagement Scale and its dimensions and their average scores on the Maslach Burnout Scale and its dimensions (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: In our study, it was found that the burnout levels of nurses and physiotherapists had an effect on their work engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. During and after the COVID-19 process, managers should take measures to reduce the burnout levels of health professionals and increase their level of work engagement.

Keywords: COVID-19; Nurse; burnout; pandemic; physiotherapist; work engagement.