Exploring extreme burnout in public hospital resident physicians: identification and mitigation of risk factors through effective coping strategies

Abstract

Extreme exhaustion syndrome is a work problem that affects health professionals, with repercussions on mental health, quality of life, work performance and the provision of services. The objective of this study is to analyze the scientific evidence related to extreme burnout in resident doctors in public hospitals. To carry out this systematic review, an exhaustive search of scientific articles was carried out in SCOPUS, Google Scholar, Scielo, Dialnet and Redalyc, using descriptors such as extreme exhaustion, burnout syndrome, resident doctors, medical specialties and public hospitals. The results reveal that the prevalence of SAE is high and consistent in all the studies reviewed, it affects more than half of the residents, especially those in older years, without significant differences in the incidence between genders and emotional exhaustion is the subscale with greater impact. Predisposing factors include a high workload and academic load, exhausting work hours, mistreatment and even psychological, physical and sexual abuse and harassment in some cases. Emphasis is placed on the need to implement measures and strategies, which encompass interventions at the individual, organizational and political levels, which can be effective in the prevention and management of SAE. In conclusion, SAE in resident physicians is attributed to chronic exposure to stressors, such as a hostile work environment, work and academic overload, and the lack of effective interventions in prevention and control programs. These findings highlight the importance of comprehensively addressing this problem in public hospitals.