ABSTRACTS
Burnout Rate Among EMS Providers in UtahAuthor: Caden Williams | | Associate Authors: Cambrie Jessee, EMT, London Gay, EMT
Introduction EMS providers are at particular risk for burnout given the highly stressful nature of their jobs, and burnout can potentially compromise patient care. Determining the current burnout level among the EMS provider population in the state of Utah is critical to determine whether systems need to be developed to reduce burnout among EMS providers in Utah. Objective To determine the frequency and contributors to burnout among EMS providers in the state of Utah. Methods In partnership with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, an anonymous electronic survey was distributed to licensed EMS providers in the state of Utah via email. The survey included 3 questions to collect participants’ demographics and 10 questions regarding their careers in EMS. These included years in the service, level of certification, and three questions to assess burnout. A total of 370 EMS personnel completed the survey, of which 340 indicated their professional classification (68 being EMTs, 142 being AEMTs, and 130 being paramedics). The average age group was between 40 and 44 years. Eighty-eight percent of respondents were White, 2.7% Hispanic/Latino, 1% Black, 1.9% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 6.4% other. With regard to gender, 61.3% identified as male and 34% as female; 4.7% preferred not to respond or selected “other.” For all respondents, the mean burnout score was 3.39 on a 5-point scale, with 5 being considered the most burnt out. The median and mode were both 4. Conclusion Based on the results, we determined that burnout is highly prevalent among Utah EMS providers and an area that could benefit from targeted intervention. We are currently analyzing the survey data for covariates among the data collected. This study warrants additional research to identify additional factors contributing to burnout, such as call volume, shift length, administrative pressure, and amount of sleep, thus identifying areas for targeted intervention to improve the health and safety of the EMS staff serving our population and enhance patient care.
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