Burnout among infection preventionists (IPs), a critical issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for immediate attention and sustainable solutions. This article, based on a personal narrative, highlights the prevalence of burnout among IPs and the urgent need for systemic support. The author of this account, Sinéad Creedon, a part-time PhD student and a full-time lecturer in Infection Prevention and control (IPC) at University College Cork, Ireland, shares personal experiences of burnout and presents an impassioned plea for acknowledgement and mitigation of this escalating issue.
Sinéad’s journey in the field of IPC commenced as a zealous young nurse at Northwick Park Hospital in London. A return to her homeland, Ireland, signified the start of her IPC career, a challenging endeavor fraught with resistance to change, impacting her productivity and passion.
Fast-forwarding to 2019, the author undertook a master’s course in applied psychology to positively address burnout, subconsciously preparing for the technically arduous and emotionally draining times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the global health crisis, she felt an unprecedented level of engagement, innately managing the daunting task of infection control in a large medical center.
Venturing into a more direct role in the pandemic response, Sinéad returned to the frontline as an IPC nurse specialist. Concurrently, she conducted a study on nurses’ experiences on the COVID-19 frontline, which amplified the common narrative of fear, isolation, and distress experienced by healthcare professionals battling the virus.
Burnout, as defined by Maslach, is characterized by emotional exhaustion, distancing from work and reduced self-efficacy, generally induced by chronic stress at work. Considerable research links higher patient mortality rates in hospitals to staff burnout. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health concerns among nurses dealing with other infectious diseases like Ebola and SARS were well-documented. The pandemic simply provided a much-needed platform for this long-prevalent issue.
The World Health Organization’s inclusion of workplace burnout in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) is a major step towards diagnosing and addressing this overwhelming issue. Alongside, legally binding policies in the EU place the responsibility of managing burnout on employers.
Through the course of the pandemic, public sentiment towards healthcare professionals experienced a drastic shift. Initial adulations and recognition gradually faded, replaced by blame and vilification for the spreading infection. This drastic shift added to the psychological burden faced by IPs, despite their earnest efforts to provide care under strenuous circumstances.
Sinéad seeks to leverage her personal and professional experiences to develop a burnout prevention model for IPs. Recognizing that the effects of burnout, high turnover rates, and the aging population of IPs have far-reaching implications, she strives to bridge the gap between research and practical interventions.
Despite the devastating impact of the pandemic, the experience also presents an opportunity to learn, adapt, and prepare for future existential crises. The pressing concern of IP burnout underscores the need for urgent action, offering crucial learnings that inspire potentially transformative steps in infection control and public health.