title: Quality of work life, burnout, and stress in emergency department physicians: a qualitative review.
abstract: A 2006 literature review reported that emergency department (ED) physicians showed elevated burnout levels and highlighted several environment and personal issues contributing toward burnout. Research on burnout in EDs is limited. We propose an updated qualitative review on the relationships between work stress, burnout, and quality of work life in ED physicians. We searched MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Science Direct for studies published since 2005. Of 491 papers, 10 papers were retained, using validated measures and having a minimum of 75 participants. Data extraction was performed manually by the first author and was reviewed by the second author. The majority of the studies used large samples, cross-sectional designs, random, and/or stratified assignment. ED physicians showed moderate to high levels of burnout with difficult work conditions including significant psychological demands, lack of resources, and poor support. Nonetheless, physicians reported high job satisfaction. Further studies should focus on the implementation of measures designed to prevent burnout.
authors.affiliation: aPsychology Department, Health Psychology Unit, University of Liege bRadiation Oncology Department, University Hospital Centre of Liege, Liege, Belgium cPsychology Department, University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) dLiaison Centre for Intervention and Psychosocial Prevention (CLIPP), Montreal eDepartment of Family and Emergency Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City fResearch Centre of the Laval University-Affiliated Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis Hospital, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bragard
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dupuis
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fleet
mesh_terms: D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology