About the Study
Under the mentorship of Daniel Ridelman, MD, Jonathan Kajimu, MD and his colleagues have brought attention to workplace challenges faced by emergency department (ED) healthcare workers in Uganda. This research originated as a 2022 GHRC capstone Project, which led to a research grant from Royal College of Emergency Medicine. After extensive work and perseverance, this research was accepted for publication.
Burnout is increasingly recognized as a critical occupational issue in healthcare, particularly within the high-pressure environment of emergency medicine. This study, conducted collaboratively across multiple hospitals, sought to understand both the prevalence of burnout and the key stressors contributing to it among ED healthcare professionals in Uganda.
Using an online survey across four public and private hospitals, burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. The study was only possible thanks to the teamwork and contributions of survey participants, hospital administrators, and research assistants who supported data collection and analysis.
There were a number of significant findings within this paper, most notably that emotional burnout was reported by almost half of all participants, with major workplace stressors identified. Additionally, like caring for terminally ill patients, factors were particularly associated with higher levels of depersonalization, one of the key aspects of burnout.
Why This Matters
ED healthcare workers' well-being directly influences the quality of patient care. This article details valuable baseline insights into ED healthcare worker well-being in Uganda. It serves as both a call to action and a foundation for future interventions to support those on the front lines of emergency care
Acknowledging the Team
This research was born as a GHRC summer workshop capstone project with Dr. Kajimu collaborating with his GHRC mentor Dr. Dan Ridelman, which led to a research grant from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and after much work this was eventually accepted for publication. This achievement reflects the collective effort of Dr. Kajimu’s, the research team, the healthcare professionals who participated, and the hospital staff who facilitated the study. Their collaboration demonstrates the power of teamwork in tackling pressing healthcare challenges and advancing knowledge in emergency medicine.