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EMPATHY AND BURNOUT SYNDROME IN THE PRACTICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES — PILOT STUDY
Affiliations- Department of Nephrology Nursing, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Mazovia Innovative University, Siedlce, Poland
- Department of Anesthesiology, Cardinal Wyszynski National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland
- Student of Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Mazovia Innovative University, Siedlce, Poland
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The burnout syndrome is a result of stress on the work situation and most often concerns professions requiring emotional and direct contact with another human being. The level of empathy is closely related to the phenomenon of occupational burnout. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of socio-demographic factors of emergency services employees on the level of empathy.
METHOD: In the period January–March 2018, a survey was conducted using a questionnaire — Emphatic Sensitiveness Scale (ESC) and an anonymous author’s questionnaire containing questions regarding sex, age, length of employment, occupation, marital status and number of hours worked per month. The survey was addressed to 81 employees of emergency services: paramedics (n = 17) and firefighters (n = 23). The control group consisted of 16 nurses and 25 people performing non–medical professions.
RESULTS: The average number of hours worked per month by the respondents was 189 ± 49. There were 50 females (62%) and 31 males (38%). The questionnaire showed statistically significant differences in perspective taking domain between the control group composed of people working in non-medical professions (25.6 ± 4.3) and emergency services professionals: firefighter (28.7 ± 3.6) vs. paramedic (29.9 ± 3.5) vs. nurse (31.2 ± 3.0), p < 0.001. It has been shown a statistically significant effect of sex on personal distress domain: male (21.4 ± 4.2) vs. female (24.3 ± 4.7), p = 0.005.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our data indicates that: (1) Nurses were characterised by the highest level of empathy amongst the surveyed professional groups; (2) Females were characterised by a higher level of personal distress; (3) Variables such as sex, age, and length of employment did not affect the level of empathy.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The burnout syndrome is a result of stress on the work situation and most often concerns professions requiring emotional and direct contact with another human being. The level of empathy is closely related to the phenomenon of occupational burnout. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of socio-demographic factors of emergency services employees on the level of empathy.
METHOD: In the period January–March 2018, a survey was conducted using a questionnaire — Emphatic Sensitiveness Scale (ESC) and an anonymous author’s questionnaire containing questions regarding sex, age, length of employment, occupation, marital status and number of hours worked per month. The survey was addressed to 81 employees of emergency services: paramedics (n = 17) and firefighters (n = 23). The control group consisted of 16 nurses and 25 people performing non–medical professions.
RESULTS: The average number of hours worked per month by the respondents was 189 ± 49. There were 50 females (62%) and 31 males (38%). The questionnaire showed statistically significant differences in perspective taking domain between the control group composed of people working in non-medical professions (25.6 ± 4.3) and emergency services professionals: firefighter (28.7 ± 3.6) vs. paramedic (29.9 ± 3.5) vs. nurse (31.2 ± 3.0), p < 0.001. It has been shown a statistically significant effect of sex on personal distress domain: male (21.4 ± 4.2) vs. female (24.3 ± 4.7), p = 0.005.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our data indicates that: (1) Nurses were characterised by the highest level of empathy amongst the surveyed professional groups; (2) Females were characterised by a higher level of personal distress; (3) Variables such as sex, age, and length of employment did not affect the level of empathy.
Keywords
empathy, paramedic, nurse, firefighter
About this articleTitle
EMPATHY AND BURNOUT SYNDROME IN THE PRACTICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES — PILOT STUDY
Journal
Disaster and Emergency Medicine Journal
Issue
Pages
5-11
Published online
2018-06-12
Page views
2182
Article views/downloads
761
DOI
Bibliographic record
Disaster Emerg Med J 2018;3(1):5-11.
Keywords
empathy
paramedic
nurse
firefighter
Authors
Lukasz Czyzewski
Grzegorz Moczulski
Marek Kozluk
Dariusz Daniluk
Dawid Beczek
Artur Karpiarz
Pawel Panasewicz
Krzysztof Izdebski
Dominik Czarnocki
Karol Tomaszewski
Emilian Siemieniuk
Adam Sobieski
Jaroslaw Michalak
Damian Wereda
Kamil Mielczarek
Marcin Madziala
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