Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on burnout development in intensive care units

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Burnout syndrome (BOS) has been recognized for over 50 years. Over time, it has been reported that certain health care specialties are more vulnerable to BOS, such as those working in an intensive care unit (ICU). The introduction of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and its growing demand, adds to the overall workload in ICU, and exposes practitioners to complex ethical and administrative situations, which may impact their psychological well-being. We aim to investigate the effects of an ECMO service, on BOS development in the ICU. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, using an online questionnaire;The Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel. In addition, demographic variables, workload, salary satisfaction, and caring for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients were assessed. Participants were divided based on working in ICU with ECMO service into ICU with (ECMO-ICU) and without (non-ECMO-ICU) ECMO service, and burnout status (burnout and no burnout). Results: The response rate for completing the questionnaire was 36.4% (445/1222). Males represented 53.7% of the participants. The overall prevalence of burnout was 64.5%. The overall burnout prevalence did not differ between ECMO- and non-ECMO-ICU groups (64.5% and 63.7, respectively). However, personal accomplishment (PA) score was significantly lower among ECMO-ICU personnel compared to those in a non-ECMO ICU (42.7% versus 52.6, p = 0.043). Significant predictors of burnout included profession (nurse or physician), acquiring COVID-19 infection, knowing other practitioners who were infected with COVID- 19, salary dissatisfaction, and extremes of workload. Conclusions: Burnout was equally prevalent among participants from ECMO- and non-ECMO ICU, but PA was lower among participants in ICU with an ECMO service. The reported high prevalence of burnout, and its predictors, requires special attention to try and reduce its occurrence.