[Burnout in intensive care units].
Intensive care units are highly stressful for the patients but for the caregivers as well, including nurse-assistants, nurses and physicians. The psychological syndrome of work exhaustion more commonly named burnout threatens these caregivers. The aims of the present paper are to describe: a) the incidence of burnout in intensive care units; b) the factors favoring burnout and c) the impacts of burnout at the individual, at the unit and institutional level. We suggest some possible ways to decrease the incidence of burnout. Finally, since the problematic of burnout is not specific to intensive care, we sought to underline some possible consequences of the burnout of caregivers on health systems.
Service des soins intensifs, Département APSI, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. bara.ricou@hcuge.ch
Bara
B
Ricou
Paolo
P
Merlani
D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000078329:Workforce