OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT AMONG PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND NURSES: A PILOT STUDY
OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT AMONG PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND NURSES: A PILOT STUDY

Summary/Abstract: Background: Occupational burnout is a common phenomenon among healthcare professionals exposed to prolonged psychological and emotional stress. Long-term exposure to stress related to professional responsibilities, patient contact, and organizational pressures can lead to a gradual depletion of mental and physical resources.Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to assess and compare the level of occupational burnout among physiotherapists and nurses.Material and methods: The study was conducted in February 2026 and included 32 healthcare professionals (16 physiotherapists and 16 nurses). Data were collected using an online questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. Occupational burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which evaluates emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Sociodemographic data were also collected. The respondents also provided information about their gender, age, and work experience.Results: Nurses demonstrated significantly higher levels of occupational burnout than physiotherapists in all subscales: emotional exhaustion (p=0.009), reduced personal accomplishment (p=0.019), and depersonalization (p=0.002). Physiotherapists presented low levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, whereas nurses showed moderate levels in these domains. A weak positive correlation was found between work experience and reduced personal accomplishment, and a weak negative correlation was found between work experience and depersonalization.Conclusions: Occupational burnout was more pronounced among nurses than among physiotherapists. Greater work experience was associated with greater burnout in the area of reduced personal accomplishment and with lower burnout in the area of depersonalization. Further research on larger populations is required.

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