Work-life balance and burnout among emergency healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between work-life balance and burnout among emergency healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study which was conducted with 428 subjects between February and July 2021. A Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Work-Life Balance Scale (WLBS) were used to collect data. The findings of the study revealed that there was a statistically significant negative correlation between their total WLBS and MBI scores (P < 0.05). Participants’ Work-Life Balance scores explained 28.5% of the variance in burnout levels (R²= 0.285). Those who did not have to be away from their families during the pandemic had higher total WLBS scores than those who did. Those who received positive support from their families during the pandemic despite their heavy schedules were satisfied with their jobs and unit, and moreover had statistically higher total WLBS scores and statistically lower total MBI scores compared to the others.

KEYWORDS:

• Work-life balance
• burnout
• emergency
• healthcare
• COVID-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Melih Kocatepe

Melih Kocatepe, MSc works as an Emergency medical technician in the Izmir Provincial Ambulance Service (112) Chief Physician. He completed master's degree in Department of Disaster Management at the Izmir Dokuz Eylul University. His area of expertise covers topics related to emergency health services, disaster management, first aid education.

Vildan Kocatepe

Vildan Kocatepe, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences at the Izmir Demokrasi University, Izmir. She completed master's degree in medical nursing at the Dokuz Eylul University. She received her doctorate from the Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa. Her area of expertise covers topics related to oncology nursing and palliative care nursing.

Dilek Yildirim

Dilek Yildirim, PhD, is Assistant Professor at Istanbul Aydin University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing. She has master's and doctorate degrees in Internal Medicine Nursing in Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa. Cancer pain, oncology nursing, pain, cancer symptom management and palliative care are her main research interests.