International survey responses from an interdisciplinary cohort of spinal cord injury clinicians assessing professional burnout and meaning in work

Study design While clinicians who care for patients with spinal cord injury may experience heightened levels of workplace stress related to secondary trauma, little is known about the characteristics of burnout and potential protective factors among interdisciplinary professionals who care for this distinct clinical population. An online survey of self-reported burnout symptoms and meaning in work was conducted to assess the prevalence of burnout and characteristics of meaning in work among spinal cord injury professionals. Objectives To assess symptoms of professional burnout and meaning in work among a broad-ranging cohort of spinal cord injury clinicians and researchers. Setting A group of international spinal cord injury professionals. Methods An online survey was developed using commonly assessed metrics of burnout and meaning in work based upon prior literature. Results A majority of survey respondents reported feeling exhaustion (60.1%), while fewer reported feelings of burnout (41.1%) or work-life imbalance (31.9%). Many respondents found support in personal relationship from friends and family and reported using various strategies to deal with work stress, including exercise, meditation, and engaging in personally meaningful activities outside of work. Conclusions Exhaustion is a prevalent issue for many spinal cord injury professionals and burnout appears to be a significant issue for a subset of responders, yet despite potential workplace stressors, spinal cord injury professionals reported high meaningfulness of work, positive impact from colleagues, and satisfaction with intellectual stimulation at work.