An Intensive Longitudinal Assessment Approach to Surveilling Trajectories of Burnout over the First Year of the COVID Pandemic

Cynthia X. Pan, Robert Crupi, Phyllis August, Varuna Sundaram, Allison A. Norful, Joseph E. Schwartz, Andrew S. Miele, R. Rhiannon Simons, Emilia E. Mikrut and Elizabeth Brondolo ()
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Cynthia X. Pan: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY 11355, USA
Robert Crupi: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY 11355, USA
Phyllis August: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY 11355, USA
Varuna Sundaram: NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Flushing, NY 11355, USA
Allison A. Norful: School of Nursing, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
Joseph E. Schwartz: Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
Andrew S. Miele: Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, New York, NY 11439, USA
R. Rhiannon Simons: Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, New York, NY 11439, USA
Emilia E. Mikrut: Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, New York, NY 11439, USA
Elizabeth Brondolo: Department of Psychology, St. John’s University, New York, NY 11439, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-20

Abstract: Frontline clinicians responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are at increased risk of burnout, but less is known about the trajectory of clinician burnout as caseloads increase and decrease. Personal and professional resources, including self-efficacy and hospital support, can attenuate the risk of burnout. Yet, empirical data documenting how burnout and resources changed as the pandemic waxed and waned are limited. This intensive longitudinal prospective study employed ecological momentary assessment methods to examine trajectories of burnout and resources over the pandemic’s first year in a New York City hospital. A 10-item survey was emailed every 5 days to frontline clinicians (physicians, nurses, and physician assistants). The primary outcome was a single-item validated measure of burnout; predictors included daily hospital COVID-19-related caseloads and personal and professional resources. Clinicians ( n = 398) completed the initial survey and an average of 12 surveys over the year. Initially, 45.3% of staff reported burnout; over the year, 58.7% reported burnout. Following the initial COVID peak, caseloads declined, and burnout levels declined. During the second wave of COVID, as caseloads increased and remained elevated and personal and professional resource levels decreased, burnout increased. This novel application of intensive longitudinal assessment enabled ongoing surveillance of burnout and permitted us to evaluate how fluctuations in caseload intensity and personal and professional resources related to burnout over time. The surveillance data support the need for intensified resource allocation during prolonged pandemics.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; emergency preparedness; burnout; caseload; frontline clinician; well-being; health care provider (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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