Burnout and job satisfaction among emergency and intensive care providers in a public hospital.

Background: New technologies and inadequate management of work might have negative impact on the mental health of workers.

Objective: To investigate factors associated with the prevalence of burnout and levels of job satisfaction among emergency department and intensive care providers in a large public hospital.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with 91 healthcare workers, who were administered the self-report questionnaires Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and Job Satisfaction Scale (JSS20/23).

Results: The sample was predominantly composed of women (58.2%), married workers or with a stable partner (52.8%), having attended graduate studies (75.8%) and with average age 37 years old. Twenty-five percent of the participants exhibited emotional exhaustion and dissatisfaction with the work environment and hierarchical relationships, and 66% had already thought of leaving the profession. Allocation to intensive care unit, lack of professional growth opportunities, dissatisfaction with hierarchical relationships, nursing profession, and having thought of leaving the profession explained 55% of the prevalence of emotional exhaustion.

Conclusion: Positive correlation between emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction was the earliest identifiable indicator of burnout. Periodic evaluations for early detection and prevention are important to reduce occupational disorders, and consequently improve the quality and safety of care delivery.