, Ali Salih Bıyıkoğlu 2
, Zeynep Erbay 3
, Mehmet Celal Öztürk 4
, Özlem Öner 5
, Murat Küçük 6
, Ali Necati Gökmen 3
, Volkan Hancı 7
2Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, University of Health Sciences, Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye
3Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Türkiye
4Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, University of Health Sciences, Izmir City Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye
5Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Izmir Democracy University, Buca Seyfi Demirsoy Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Türkiye
6Division of Intensive Care, Department of Internal Medicine, Batman Training and Research Hospital, Batman, Türkiye
7Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye
Abstract
Objective: The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of improvements in working conditions and monthly income on burnout. The secondary aim is to evaluate the effect on quality of life and anxiety among anesthesiology residents.
Materials and Methods: This prospective before-and-after study was conducted at Dokuz Eylul University between August and November 2022, and anesthesiology residents were enrolled. Residents were evaluated using the Professional Quality of Life Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Maslach Burnout Inventory twice: before and after the legal regulation.
Results: After the exclusion of three participants, 44 residents were enrolled in the study. Of them, 50% were female. The median age was 28.0 (27.0–29.0) years. Participants’ median working hours (87.0 [74.8–100.0] vs. 68.0 [52.5–72.0] hours/week, p<0.001), the median number of monthly night shifts (7 [7–9] vs. 6 [5–7], p<0.001), and monthly income (18,000 [17,000–18,000] vs. 25,000 [20,750–26,000] , p<0.001) were significantly improved after regulations. The median scores of the subscales of the Professional Quality of Life Scale, compassion satisfaction (25 [18–34] vs. 28 [24–36], p=0.011), and burnout (30 [24–32] vs. 23 [20–28], p<0.001), Beck Anxiety Inventory (18 [7–26] vs. 11 [5–19], p=0.004), and the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (24 [18–29] vs. 20 [13–24], p=0.007) were significantly improved compared to before the regulations.
Conclusion: Current regulations regarding work hours and income improved burnout, anxiety, compassion satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion among anesthesiology residents.