Fatigue levels and burnout among Polish infection control nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the level of fatigue among Polish epidemiological nurses in relation to burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods. This study, completely voluntary and anonymous, used CIS20R and MBI-HSS (Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey) questionnaires sent electronically by provincial consultants to ICNs. Results. Completed questionnaires were sent by 163 people, mostly (99.4%) women, working in public hospitals (78.5%), with higher education (77.3%) and work experience of over 30 years (52.8%). The majority, 60.7%, of the respondents declared a high overall fatigue index, and for its components: decreased motivation (70.6%) and concentration (77.9%). In the area of burnout, 65.0% of respondents declared a high level of emotional exhaustion. Statistical analysis showed that a high level of fatigue, both as a total indicator and in individual subdomains, significantly correlates with a greater risk of emotional exhaustion. Conclusions. A high level of fatigue (expressed as a general index and individual components) and burnout were found among the surveyed ICNs. Our study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It needs to be repeated in times free from such a particular epidemiological threat. Nevertheless, effective fatigue management through activities supporting the work environment should be quickly implemented.