Burnout syndrome in gynecology and obstetrics residents of a teaching maternity unit

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Medical residents constitute a risk group for emotional and behavioral disorders, which can lead to Burnout Syndrome, negatively interfering with the care provided.

Objective:

To identify the stressors experienced by Gynecology and Obstetrics residents of a teaching maternity hospital in southern Brazil and estimate the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome among them.

Method:

Data was collected from August to December 2020 with 21 residents and comprised two stages: the first consisted of a semi-structured interview, using a guide script, aiming to identify the stressors experienced by the GO residents. Subsequently, the participants received a self-administered questionnaire that aimed to measure the level of Burnout based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Qualitative data analysis was performed using the Collective Subject Discourse methodology. Quantitative data analysis was performed using the analytical description of the data.

Results:

Among the stressors experienced by residents, the following stand out: lack of acceptance by the multidisciplinary team when entering the residency; excessive workload; lack of sleep; the challenge of becoming responsible for one’s own learning; the various therapeutic approaches by different preceptors for the same problem; feeling of insufficient theoretical content during the residency; guilt for not studying as much as you believe you should; decreased time devoted to leisure and physical activity, high level of stress; emotional upheaval that the great responsibility assumed entails and lack of psychological support. Of the 21 resident physicians, Burnout Syndrome was present in 57.1% of the participants. Emotional exhaustion was the most frequent dimension (52.7%), followed by Depersonalization (33.3%) and Low professional achievement (9.5%).

Conclusion:

The reported stressors point to the need to review the residency so that harmful consequences to the mental health of students, such as Burnout syndrome and its consequences, are prevented, reduced or remedied, avoiding damage to the residents, their patients and the health care institution. Prophylactic measures are proposed in the search for improvements in the quality of life, the quality of care and, perhaps most importantly, the shift in focus from a service-centered residency to a learner-centered residency.

Keywords:
Medical residency; Gynecology; Obstetrics; Burnout