Síndrome de burnout y funciones ejecutivas en el personal de salud de la E.S.E Hospital San Rafael de Andes

Burnout syndrome (BS) is a prevalent form of chronic stress derived from the work environment. Executive functions (EF) are cognitive abilities that regulate task performance and adaptation to environmental demands to ensure successful execution. Healthcare professionals are among the occupational groups most exposed to various personal, social, and contextual demands due to their professional responsibilities. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential relationship between burnout syndrome and its impact on executive function alterations. A descriptive, correlational, non-experimental study was conducted with a sample of healthcare personnel from E.S.E. Hospital San Rafael de Andes. The sample consisted of 14 physicians and 22 nurses selected through non-probabilistic sampling. The following tests were applied: the Stroop Test, the Trail Making Test (TMT), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), along with a sociodemographic data questionnaire. The results indicate that 77.8% of participants exhibited moderate levels of burnout syndrome according to the MBI, while 22.2% showed no signs of burnout. Performance on the TMT was within the population mean, whereas the Stroop Test results revealed low scores in the interference factor. Overall, participants' performance remained within expected population norms. Based on the correlation coefficients and significance values obtained, no statistically significant associations were found between the variables. Future research should consider additional factors that may influence results, such as healthcare personnel' beliefs, coping strategies, the complexity level of the healthcare institution, and the sample size. Given the presence of burnout among healthcare personnel, it is essential to monitor the ongoing prevalence of chronic stress and reassess executive functions over time. A longitudinal study could help determine whether a relationship emerges between burnout and executive function deficits when burnout levels are high, rather than moderate, as observed in this study. In conclusion, investigating burnout syndrome is crucial to understanding and addressing psychological and physical alterations that may not be directly linked to a mental disorder but arise due to contextual factors. These alterations can contribute to the development of other health conditions that are increasingly prevalent yet insufficiently studied. Understanding these associations could provide valuable insights for behavioral psychology and health psychology.