After the midwives’ strike to obtain recognition of the status of hospital practitioner, a study points to another aspect of the fed up that affects maternity staff. This is a rather taboo problem in the world of work: burnout. This burnout syndrome is more common than you think within hospitals and in particular in maternity hospitals.
A survey carried out at the Paule-de-Viguier maternity unit of the Toulouse University Hospital and revealed on the occasion of the Days of the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians measured the phenomenon: 39% of the staff questioned confessed suffer from burnout. It concerns precisely 27 doctors and 29 midwives of this maternity classified in level 3, that is to say that it takes care of high-risk pregnancies and newborns presenting serious distress.
This professional exhaustion manifests itself in particular by extreme fatigue, a feeling of worthlessness, and difficulty concentrating. Burnout can also lead to psychosomatic illnesses, musculoskeletal disorders, migraines and high blood pressure.
The 143 doctors and obstetricians, anesthesiologists, pediatricians and midwives of the establishment answered an anonymous questionnaire to reveal the discomfort that undermines some of them. A risk of medical errors A daily newspaper made up of difficult working conditions can explain the distressing situations experienced by as many doctors as midwives. “There was no difference in burnout rate between doctors and midwives, neither according to age or seniority in the profession nor on criteria of hygiene of life such as smoking or practice of a sport “, explained Anita Hastoy, the author of the survey, quoted by Pourquoidocteur. Problem, this burn out can be the cause of medical errors or forgetfulness linked to extreme fatigue, as pointed out by 60% of the doctors questioned by Anita Hastoy.
A risk of medical errors
A daily newspaper made up of difficult working conditions can explain the distressing situations experienced by as many doctors as midwives. “There was no difference in burnout rate between doctors and midwives, neither according to age or seniority in the profession nor on criteria of hygiene of life such as smoking or practice of a sport “, explained Anita Hastoy, the author of the survey, quoted by Pourquoidocteur. Problem, this burn out can be the cause of medical errors or forgetfulness linked to extreme fatigue, as pointed out by 60% of the doctors questioned by Anita Hastoy.