Chestina Brollier

A Pilot Study of Job Burnout among Hospital-Based Occupational Therapists

Job-related stress over a prolonged period may lead to feelings of exhaustion, commonly referred to as burnout. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of such conditions among occupational therapists. This study addressed the following general research questions: Is burnout a significant problem among hospital-based registered occupational therapists (OTRs)? Is the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) an appropriate instrument for measuring burnout of OTRs? Do specific OTR subgroups score differently on the measures of burnout? To gather exploratory data in this area, the MBI and a demographic sheet were administered to 135 hospital-based OTRs employed in Virginia. Findings suggested that the OTR respondents experienced moderate levels of burnout. Managers/supervisors, OTRs employed in government-owned facilities, OTRs employed in general hospitals, and OTRs treating patients included under the Medicare Prospective Payment System experienced significantly higher levels of burnout than those in other settings. The MBI appeared to be the best available instrument for measuring burnout; however, norms should be established for the occupational therapy profession.

Managing Occupational Therapy Burnout

Burnout has been conceptualized as an ineffective coping response to stress experienced on the job. This article will explore the construct of burnout as reported in the literature of the helping professions. An emphasis will be placed on prevention and remediation strategies, particularly those aimed at organizational causes of burnout for occupational therapists.

Program evaluation research.

Program evaluation research should be viewed as an essential administrative tool. It can provide data needed by occupational therapy managers for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of services and operations. This article will provide an overview of the purposes, types, basic steps, potential problems, and benefits of program evaluation.

FROM THE CO-EDITOR

No abstract available for this article.