Abstract

Objective

The objectives of this study were to assess (1) the prevalence of burnout risk among nurses working in intensive care units and emergency department before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and (2) the individual and work-related associated factors.

Methods

Data were collected as part of a cross-sectional study on intensive care unit and emergency nurses in Belgium using 2 self-administered online questionnaires distributed just before the pandemic (January 2020, n = 422) and during the first peak of the pandemic (April 2020, n = 1616). Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory scale.

Results

The overall prevalence of burnout risk was higher among emergency nurses than intensive care unit nurses but was not significantly different after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (from 69.8% to 70.7%, χ² = 0.15, P = .68), whereas it increased significantly among intensive care unit nurses (from 51.2% to 66.7%, χ² = 23.64, P < .01). During the pandemic, changes in workload and the lack of personal protective equipment were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of burnout risk, whereas social support from colleagues and from superiors and management were associated with a lower likelihood of burnout risk. Several determinants of burnout risk were different between intensive care unit and emergency nurses.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that nurses in intensive care unit and emergency department were at risk of burnout but their experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic was quite different. Therefore, it is important to implement specific measures for these 2 groups of nurses to prevent and manage their risk of burnout.