Burnout in intensive care medecine: evaluation, prevention and intervention

Abstract

Intensive care unit professionals are repetitively and intensely confronted with many stressful factors that make them more vulnerable to the development of burnout. Burnout is the final stage of a break in adaptation following an imbalance between professional demands and the individual's resources. It directly affects the mental and physical health of professionals and is associated with a decrease in the quality and safety of care and an increase in the departure of more experienced professionals for other units. Today, many studies in intensive care unitsare attempting to raise awareness of burnout among professionals and organizations and are calling for action. This article presents an overview of the prevalence, assessment, prevention and screening of burnout in intensive care units. It also presents individual and organizational interventions that can be used to prevent and treat burnout.