A Descriptive Pilot Study on Travel Nurses\u27 Risk of Burnout During The COVID- 19 Pandemic

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that results from long-term involvement in work situations that are difficult (Schaufeli & Greenglass, 2001). Burnout leads to a significant occupational problem in various professions that involve people who work with others, including nurses who work with COVID- 19 patients. This pilot study aims to determine if travel nurses who have worked or are currently working during the COVID-19 pandemic in acute care hospitals are at increased risk for nurse burnout. A convenience sample (N=9) of travel nurses working at CHRISTUS St Michael Health System were asked to complete the Travel Nurse and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS) Survey. Three core aspects of burnout were assessed: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Data from the survey was collected and analyzed. The findings of this pilot study findings indicate that participants experienced feelings of emotional exhaustion a few times a week, but not every day (54.5%). Participants experienced feelings of depersonalization a few times a month (38.2%), and they experienced feelings of personal accomplishment a few times a week (56.6%). Limitations of this study include a small sample size