A Pilot Study of Job Burnout among Hospital-Based Occupational Therapists

Abstract

Job-related stress over a prolonged period may lead to feelings of exhaustion, commonly referred to as burnout. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of such conditions among occupational therapists. This study addressed the following general research questions: Is burnout a significant problem among hospital-based registered occupational therapists (OTRs)? Is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) an appropriate instrument for measuring burnout of OTRs? Do specific OTR subgroups score differently on the measures of burnout? To gather exploratory data in this area, the MBI and a demographic sheet were administered to 135 hospital-based OTRs employed in Virginia. Findings suggested that the OTR respondents experienced moderate levels of burnout. Managers/supervisors, OTRs employed in government-owned facilities, OTRs employed in general hospitals, and OTRs treating patients included under the Medicare Prospective Payment System experienced significantly higher levels of burnout than those in other settings. The MBI appeared to be the best available instrument for measuring burnout; however, norms should be established for the occupational therapy profession.