14. BURNOUT IN PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS: WHEN IS BURNOUT MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DURING AN INPATIENT SERVICE MONTH AND WHAT ARE ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS

Abstract

Background Burnout is a work-related syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and a sense of lack of personal accomplishment (PA). Data show those in medical training suffer from burnout, but neither the timing of burnout in a narrower timeframe nor its associations is known. Objective A single center prospective study was conducted to establish the prevalence of burnout in pediatric residents during an inpatient month, monitor the pattern of burnout progression throughout the month, and ascertain what factors may be associated with that burnout. Methods Surveys assessing burnout, symptoms of depression, quality of life, fatigue, clinical and personal experiences were distributed to pediatric residents every week for a total of five weeks during an inpatient service month. Surveys included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), considered the gold-standard for measuring burnout, and the McCauley Survey, a survey created by one of our authors to measure burnout. Inpatient service months included a rotation on the wards, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). First, second and third year pediatric residents were included in the study. A washout period of at least one month was required before a resident was surveyed a second time. Results Mean values of EE had statistically significant worsening between the start and end of an inpatient month. Similarly, the prevalence of burnout increased from 71% to 83%. 71% of residents had positive screens for depression. 38% of residents had answered “yes” to the question “have you doubted your career choice in the last week.” The McCauley Survey results for burnout correlated well with the standard MBI surveys. Conclusions A large majority of pediatric residents are burned out and burnout increases during an inpatient rotation. Many pediatric residents trigger positive screens for depression and question their career choice during an inpatient rotation. Intervention is warranted in this center and is currently underway. Future multi-center studies are needed to validate this data, as well as follow-up studies to evaluate the possible impact of current interventions at this center.