Burnout in Health Professionals Working in Surgical and Intensive Care Units:A Systematic Review of Related Factors and Consequences

Abstract

Background: Burnout is found at elevated levels inhealthcare professionals who work in critical units.At the same time, high levels of burnout areassociated with strong negative effects on a personaland professional level.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine thefactors associated with burnout and its associatedconsequences in workers in surgical departments andintensive care units.Materials and Methods: A systematic review of theliterature was applied. The search and inclusion ofarticles in the systematic review was performedusing the PRISMA Statement. A total of 31 differentstudies were included in the search.Results: Firstly, most of the relevant studiesconcerned nurses, not physicians or other healthprofessionals. Second, all the studies were crosssectional. Third, a common finding of the effects ofsociodemographic factors cannot be drawn as therewere conflicting findings between the studies.Fourth, it appears that evidence that demonstrates abroader burden of mental health is associated withburnout (e.g. anxiety). Fifth, parameters that arerelated to resilience, for example hardness as apersonality trait, were associated with lower burnoutscores. Finally, all studies concerned workers inintensive care units and not in surgical departments.Conclusions: Therefore, this study may lead to somefindings for health care workers in intensive careunits, but not for those working in surgicaldepartments.