Psychological Factors of the Professional Burnout Syndrome in Anesthesiologists and Intensive Care Physicians

Abstract

In order to identify the psychological factors of professional burnout of anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians, 61 physicians from the Arkhangelsk region were examined. Methods were used: questionnaire “Attitude to work and professional burnout” developed by V.A. Vinokur, McLean’s Organizational Stress Scale, Freiburg Personality Questionnaire (FPI), Anxiety Test developed by C.D. Spielberger and modified by Yu.A. Khanina, R. Lazarus and S. Volkman's Coping Test, methods for assessing the psychological atmosphere in the team developed by A.F. Fidler. It was established that 60,6% of anesthesiology and intensive care physicians have a high level of professional burnout. Three groups of factors affecting the emergence and development of professional burnout among physicians have been identified: individually personal (use of non-constructive coping strategies, high anxiety, emotional instability, depression, aggressiveness); socio-psychological (unfavorable socio-psychological climate in the team) and professional and organizational (lack of professional development and self-improvement, work tensions, low self-assessment of work quality, organizational stress). The article offers recommendations for the prevention of professional burnout in anesthesiology and intensive care physicians.