Original Research Article
Year: 2022 | Month: September | Volume: 9 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 194-202
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20220920
Physician Burnout at Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC): The Hidden Health Worker Crisis
Dr. Nirvanie Singh1, Dr. Radha R. Sookraj2, Dr. Sabrina Gittens3
1,2,3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Georgetown Guyana
Corresponding Author: Dr. Nirvanie Singh
ABSTRACT
Objective: This article reviews the prevalence and influencing factors of physician burnout.
Design & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a hard copy of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) during April, 2021 at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Participants included 250 physicians from 18 departments. Questionnaires were contested voluntarily and anonymously. The MBI items were rated on a Likert scale from 0 to 6. It access: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA), each dimension is classified into severe, moderate or low burnout. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and SPSS statistics.
Results: The prevalence of burnout for each dimension was: 79.8% (n=138) for EE, 67% (n=116) for DP and 69.9% (n=121) for PA with an average score of 30 (0-52); 10.3 (0-57) and 34.9 (59-1) respectively. Contributing factors to burnout were: physicians working shift, female gender, single status and ages of 30-39.
Conclusions: The prevalence of burnout at GPHC was high. Contributing factors were working a shift system, attending to >20 patients daily, working >65 hours weekly and not partaking in recreational activities.
Recommendation: Implementing measures to combat burnout is paramount to maintain physician’s health. Provision of areas for recreational activities, a food court with healthy food options, providing psychologists/counsellors for physicians in each department and wellness activities can be beneficial in the future.
Keywords: Burnout; Maslach burnout inventory; Physician burnout, GPHC
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