Burnout among intensive care nurses, physicians and leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is frequent among intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare professionals and may result in medical errors and absenteeism. The COVID-19 pandemic caused additional strain during working hours and also affected off-duty life. The aims of this study were to survey burnout levels among ICU healthcare professionals during the first year of COVID-19, describe those who reported burnout, and analyse demographic and work-related factors associated with burnout. METHODS: This was a national prospective longitudinal cohort study of 484 nurses, physicians and leaders working in intensive care units with COVID-19 patients in Norway. Burnout was measured at 6- and 12-month follow-up, after a registration of baseline data during the first months of the COVID epidemic. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), was used (range 0-100), burnout caseness defined as CBI ≥50. Bi- and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine baseline demographic variables and work-related factors associated with burnout caseness at 12 months. RESULTS: At 6 months, the median CBI score was 17, increasing to 21 at 12 months (p = .037), with nurses accounting for most of the increase. Thirty-two per cent had an increase in score of more than 5, whereas 25% had a decrease of more than 5. Ten per cent reported caseness of burnout at 6 months and 14% at 12 months (n.s.). The participants with burnout caseness were of significantly lower age, had fewer years of experience, reported more previous anxiety and/or depression, more moral distress, less perceived hospital recognition, and more fear of infection in the bivariate analyses. Burnout was the single standing most reported type of psychological distress, and 24 out of 41 (59%) with burnout caseness also reported caseness of anxiety, depression and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Multivariate analysis showed statistically significant associations of burnout caseness with fewer years of professional experience (p = .041) and borderline significance of perceived support by leader (p = .049). CONCLUSION: In Norway, a minority of ICU nurses, physicians and leaders reported burnout 1 year into the pandemic. A majority of those with burnout reported anxiety, depression and/or PTSD symptoms combined. Burnout was associated with less years of professional experience.

Prevalence of psychological distress in nurses, physicians and leaders working in intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national one-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: To report and compare psychological distress as symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress among intensive care units' (ICU) nurses, physicians and leaders at 12 months after the baseline survey (spring 2020), during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Furthermore, to analyse which baseline demographic and COVID ICU-related factors have a significant impact on psychological distress at 12 months. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study. SETTING: Nationwide, 27 of 28 hospitals with COVID ICUs in Norway. PARTICIPANTS: Nurses, physicians and their leaders. At 12 month follow-up 287 (59.3%) of 484 baseline participants responded. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Symptoms of anxiety and depression using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-10 (HSCL-10). Symptoms of post-traumatic stress using the post-traumatic stress disease checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (PCL-5).Demographics (included previous symptoms of anxiety and depression) and COVID ICU-related factors (professional preparations, emotional experience and support) impacting distress at 12 months. RESULTS: Psychological distress, defined as caseness on either or both HSCL-10 and PCL-5, did not change significantly and was present for 13.6% of the participants at baseline and 13.2% at 12 month follow-up. Nurses reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress than physicians and leaders. Adjusted for demographics and the COVID ICU-related factors at baseline, previous symptoms of depression and fear of infection were significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression at 12 months. Previous symptoms of depression, fear of infection and feeling of loneliness was significantly associated with more symptoms of post-traumatic stress. CONCLUSION: One year into the COVID-19 pandemic 13.2% of the ICUs professionals reported psychological distress, more frequently among the nurses. Fear of infection, loneliness and previous symptoms of depression reported at baseline were associated with higher levels of distress. Protective equipment and peer support are recommended to mitigate distress. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT04372056.