Burnout and Brownout in Intensive Care Physicians in the Era of COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

Léa Baillat (), Emilie Vayre, Marie Préau and Claude Guérin
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Léa Baillat: Unité INSERM U1296—Radiations: Défense, Santé, Environnement, Université Lumière-Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, France
Emilie Vayre: Unité INSERM U1296—Radiations: Défense, Santé, Environnement, Université Lumière-Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, France
Marie Préau: Unité INSERM U1296—Radiations: Défense, Santé, Environnement, Université Lumière-Lyon 2, 69500 Bron, France
Claude Guérin: CHU de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Centre, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69002 Lyon, France

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 11, 1-19

Abstract: The health crisis has had a strong impact on intensive care units. The objective of this study was to investigate the experience of resuscitation physicians during the COVID-19 health crisis to understand the associated determinants of quality of life, burnout, and brownout. This qualitative, longitudinal study covered two periods (T1, February 2021, and T2, May 2021). The data were collected in individual semi-directed interviews with 17 intensive care physicians (ICPs) (T1). Nine of the latter also participated in a second interview (T2). The data were examined using grounded theory analysis. We identified a multiplication of burnout and brownout indicators and factors already known in intensive care. In addition, burnout and brownout indicators and factors specific to the COVID-19 crisis were added. The evolution of professional practices has disrupted the professional identity, the meaning of work, and the boundaries between private and professional life, leading to a brownout and blur-out syndrome. The added value of our study lies in identifying the positive effects of the crisis in the professional domain. Our study revealed indicators and factors of burnout and brownout associated with the crisis among ICPs. Finally, it highlights the beneficial effects of the COVID-19 crisis on work.

Keywords: burnout; brownout; intensive care physicians (ICPs); COVID-19; intensive care; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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