SARS-Cov-2 as a trigger for professional wear syndrome in the staff of a health center

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 on 11 March, 2020 as a pandemic due to its quick transmission mechanism and difficult epidemiological control, which poses a heavy burden on the global health system.

Objective: Determine the level of professional wear syndrome presented by professional and non-professional staff of ´´Jorge Chavez´´ Health Center in Puerto Maldonado, facing the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Non-experimental study, descriptive and transversal type, with a sample of 69 professional and non-professional persons working at ´´Jorge Chavez´´ Health Center in Puerto Maldonado, Peru, April 2020. The staff underwent Maslach Burnout Inventory applied to assess exhaustion syndrome while facing increased COVID-19 cases.

Results: 50.72% (n=35) of staff working at ´´Jorge Chavez´´ Health Center had an average level of professional wear syndrome, with the highest weight in the emotional exhaustion subscale with 60.87% (n=42) at the mid-level. The situation of greatest concern to staff is the scarcity of personal protective equipment such as facemasks, gloves and uniforms.

Conclusions: Half of the professional and non-professional workers at ´´Jorge Chavez´´ Health Center have average levels of professional wear syndrome. "Emotional fatigue" is the most affected dimension, according to the dimensions defined by Maslach Burnout Inventory. Among the strategies to address COVID-19 emergency are included: advance planning, teamwork, and adequate availability of personal protective equipment, which are key factors in preventing professional wear syndrome.