Burnout Among Medical Workers During the Pandemic

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Table of Contents

Introduction: Purpose
Conceptual Framework
Design/Method
Sampling/Setting
Major Variables
Data Analysis
Study Findings
Strengths/Weaknesses
Conclusion
References

Introduction: Purpose

Research on professional burnout and emotional disadaptation of medical workers worldwide becomes especially urgent during the pandemic. It is because medical workers have to work under extreme load conditions and increased threat of infection (Adams et al., 2021). This critique aims to analyze the research that examines the burnout issue in the first stage of the pandemic. The primary parts of the study will be analyzed from the point of validity, methodology, relevance, and argumentativeness. It will enable the evaluation of the article and state what leads to burnout and how to prevent it.

Conceptual Framework

The study’s theoretical framework is based on Maslach’s theory of burnout, which is supported by most of the literature on burnout in nursing. To identify potential predictors of burnout, the researchers consider demographic and occupational variables, including work unit and numerous COVID-19 exposure risks (Bellanti et al., 2021). The article is multifaceted and looks at nurses’ perceptions of COVID-19 risk and how many percent of workers think about quitting.

Design/Method

This study was designed as an online cross-sectional survey addressed to nurses working in a hospital in Italy. Data were collected from June 1 to September 30, 2020, using an online questionnaire (Bellanti et al., 2021). A survey is the most common method of collecting information about human subjectivity, people’s thoughts and feelings, opinions and attitudes, and life plans. This method is appropriate for the study because it allows one to comprehend workers’ thoughts and explore more about people’s individuality.

Sampling/Setting

The authors obtained consent from all participants of the study. They estimated sample size with α at 0.05, mean effect size of 0.15, power of 90%, and several predictors of 18 for linear multiple regression analysis. According to the original variables and carefully conducted calculations, the minimum sample size required for this study was 170 (Bellanti et al., 2021). Power was calculated using the PS Power and Sample Size Calculations program. Four hundred and eight nurses were invited to complete the questionnaire. Of all participants, 293 (71.8%) answered the questionnaire thoroughly (Bellanti et al., 2021). These were the data used by the authors, as it is reliable and valid.

Major Variables

The questionnaire consisted of sections designed to collect several categories of information. Demographic variables and information regarding work unit, occupational experience, chronic illness, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, or contact with COVID-19 patients were analyzed. The authors likewise considered true and false statements about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak (Bellanti et al., 2021). This question regarded variables such as organizational support, perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, workload and stress, social relationships, emotional support, perceived mortality from COVID-19, personal protective equipment, and consideration of leaving work. It included MBI-HSS and OBI to improve psychometric properties and reduce method artifacts due to one-way questionnaires.

Data Analysis

Data were expressed as numbers and percentages for the categorical variables and as a mean. Sample analysis and distribution were assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The reliability and validity of the scales were assessed using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω (Bellanti et al., 2021). The significance of differences was analyzed using independent t-tests and Tukey’s test as post-hoc (continuous variables, more than two groups) or in random variables tables using Pearson’s chi-square test. Multiple regression was performed to examine factors associated with COVID-19-related burnout.

Study Findings

The data revealed that burnout in nurses was not dependent on demographic characteristics or occupational factors such as working in a COVID-19 department or being directly exposed to infected patients. Still, it was associated with emotional support, consideration of leaving the job, workload, and stress. These results lead to important theoretical and practical meanings as they indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts nurses’ well-being (McNulty et al., 2022). Therefore, hospital managers should focus on the improvement of their valorization of nurses, on the promotion of support by family and society, and on the reduction of extra work (Foster at al., 2020). Furthermore, investments in mental well-being strategies and psychological interventions are encouraged to improve nurses’ healthcare during possible future pandemics.

Organizational support was considered appropriate for most nurses; perceptions of COVID-19 infection risk were high for nurses and their relatives/friends. Numerous participants reported workload and stress, although 30.7% mentioned conflicts with colleagues (Bellanti et al., 2021). Social relationships among nurses were poorly disrupted; fewer than half felt supported by their employer, but many noted good work mood and high praise from patients and the community. The estimated mortality from COVID-19 was low-moderate.

Strengths/Weaknesses

The study has weaknesses and strengths, which need to be pointed out to improve further research. First of all, it is worth mentioning the validity of the data, which were obtained through interviews with medical workers (Bellanti et al., 2021). The processing and analysis of the information were carried out in several ways, facilitating a competent presentation of the results. Moreover, the interview was relevant, clearly answering the research question and corresponding to the generated hypothesis.

It is significant to note that the study has almost no drawbacks. However, there is a small sample of participants, as the data were collected from only one hospital in Italy. Thus, it is very narrow and does not provide an opportunity to understand the scope of the problem. Therefore, it would have been more rational to cover more hospitals to obtain a more diverse data set.

Conclusion

The issue of nursing burnout is a paramount issue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study notes the importance of examining the dynamics of healthcare workers, as the consequences of such chronic fatigue and mental stress can be severe for healthcare workers’ physical and mental health. The research has highlighted necessary measures to reduce distress. They include the importance of psychological support, including the availability of various psychoeducational materials.

References

Adams, R., Ryan, T., & Wood, E. (2021). Understanding the factors that affect retention within the mental health nursing workforce: a systematic review and thematic synthesis. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 30(6), 1476-1497. Web.

Bellanti, F., Lo Buglio, A., Capuano, E., Dobrakowski, M., Kasperczyk, A., Kasperczyk, S., & Vendemiale, G. (2021). Factors related to nurses’ burnout during the first wave of Coronavirus Disease-19 in a University Hospital in Italy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10), 5051. Web.

Foster, K., Roche, M., Giandinoto, J. A., & Furness, T. (2020). Workplace stressors, psychological well‐being, resilience, and caring behaviours of mental health nurses: A descriptive correlational study. International journal of mental health nursing, 29(1), 56-68. Web.

McNulty, D. S., LaMonica-Way, C., & Senneff, J. A. (2022). The Impact of mindfulness on stress and burnout of new graduate nurses as a component of a nurse residency program. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 52(4), 12-18. Web.

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