The Consequences Of Burnout In Healthcare Workers During And After The Pandemic

Abstract

Burnout is a syndrome characterized by a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion resulting from chronic stress, especially in the workplace. It has three main pillars: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional accomplishment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this condition intensified, particularly among healthcare professionals working on the front lines. These workers faced work overload, prolonged hours, resource scarcity, a high risk of infection, and intense emotional pressure. The fear of exposure to the virus, social distancing, and uncertainty in the face of a critical scenario significantly contributed to the worsening of psychological suffering. As a consequence, burnout began to impact not only the mental and physical health of these workers, but also their professional performance and quality of life. Even after the most critical period of the pandemic, the syndrome remains prevalent in the healthcare field. Given the limited number of recent studies on the subject, this work proposes to further investigate the consequences of burnout in healthcare professionals, with an emphasis on its impact during and after the pandemic, in order to discuss effective strategies for mitigating its effects. Thus, using a bibliographic review research methodology, data will be collected from scientific articles and case reports available in SciELO, PubMed, and CAPES journals related to the topic.