The Impact of Changing Processes in the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health Care Workers’ Burnout Syndrome: Web-Based Questionnaire Study

Abstract

Aim:Health care workers at the forefront of the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have faced increased workload and intense stress. It is essential to understand the relationship between specific processes that have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the level of burnout of health workers. This study aims to determine health workers’ perceptions regarding changing processes and burnout levels during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:This study was carried out in a descriptive design. The research population consists of health workers who are actively working in Turkey. A web-based survey sampled 537 health workers who agreed to participate in the study. Research data was collected during dates between December 31, 2020, and January 10, 2021. This study measured health workers’ perceptions of burnout and their experiences and attitudes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results:According to the findings of the study, 52% of health workers reported burnout. As a result of the regression analysis, we found that increased workload in nurses (B=1.12, t=0.56, p<0.05), failure to provide a safe work environment to physicians (B=1.04, t=2.28, p<0.05), increased mobbing on non-healthcare workers (B=0.74, t=2.31, p<0.05) and management vulnerabilities (B=0.71, t=2.02, p<0.05) had a positive impact on health care workers’ burnout levels.Conclusion:The changing processes in the COVID-19 pandemic have increased burnout rates in health professionals. Health care workers should be given the support they need to do their jobs, stay safe.

Keywords

• burnout
• perception of health workers
• covid-19
• work stress
• health care professionals